Guardian of Fire
by Agni
Summary: Starting over is never easy. Creating a new identity, facing different challenges isn't easy at all. Naruto must do all this because he must correct the mistakes of the present by traveling to the past. GEN, Time Travel.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Guardian of Fire**.

**Author: Agni**

**Summary: Starting over is never easy. Forging a new identity, facing different challenges isn't easy at all. Naruto must face all this because he must correct the mistakes of the present by traveling to the past. **

**Warnings: AU, Time travel, a bit of OOC but not too much. **

**Pairings: Naruto/Undecided, Naruto/Ino. Others not decided.**

**AN: This is a total and complete rewrite of The Guardian of Fire. The basic premise is the same but I have altered many things. I hope you enjoy it. This will be considered AU from after the battle with Pein. Therefore, none of the very recent manga developments are included. **

**Chapter Rewrite Date: April 8, 2011**

* * *

_**-One-**_

* * *

Human souls were odd little things. They were weak, unable to defend themselves without the armor of flesh and skin that was the body. Yet, they were strong, for without the soul, the body was a mere puppet. Soul was the true source of power. Mortals were foolish. They always underestimated the true value of the soul, trying to hog power and increase the strength of their bodies. They suppressed their own soul, corrupted it for power until it corroded.

How useless.

Body was only a temporary shell after all.

Soul was immortal.

Kyuubi sat in his cage, his large head resting on his paws as he observed, with some amusement, the latest predicament his vessel had gotten into.

His relationship with Naruto was an odd one. He despised his vessel thoroughly. Like very living creature in the world, he didn't like being imprisoned. He didn't like to have his movements and desires restricted by anyone… much less a pitiful human.

However, even Kyuubi could be entranced by beauty and his host's soul was beautiful.

Humans had romantic notions about the soul. They thought that kindness, naïve gentleness, foolish innocence were the markers of pure souls.

They were wrong. A pure soul was a powerful entity. It was something that could wade through a sea of corruption and remain untouched. The soul could take the abuse of a thousand sinners and remain forgiving. A pure soul was, even in its darkest moments, was superior to those who had never stained their hands with blood.

Naruto's was one of the purest in existence.

Oh he had tried corrupting the brat, hoping that the sheer malice in his chakra would taint the brat's strict morals. He had used every trick in the book, taking advantage of very dire situation to tempt Naruto.

Nothing had worked.

The closest he had come to corrupting Naruto was with his suppressed dark emotions. His anger against the injustice he faced during childhood, his pain at the constant disrespect from his friends and his distress at his best friend's betrayal…

Nevertheless, even that attempt had been thwarted by his jailor's strength of will.

Kyuubi was left to marvel at his captor, reluctantly mesmerized by the luminance of his beautiful soul. It would be such a waste to let such resilient creature to die. That too, at the hands of a mere human.

If anyone was to crush Naruto's disgustingly pure soul, it should be him… the prisoner that the boy had successful kept locked away for over a decade.

Therefore, a curious dilemma was before him.

Naruto's reckless need to help and protect those of his village had finally led to the current situation. Under Danzo, Konoha wasn't the home that Naruto had come to love and cherish. The Will of Fire that Sandaime had cultured had perished under the strict, warmongering tendencies of that man.

Naruto had attempted, with great cunning and discretion, to damage Danzo's plans from within, but he hadn't succeeded.

His jailor was now on the brink of a death penalty.

Danzo, of course, wasn't going to allow Kyuubi to die with Naruto. He would extract Kyuubi from Naruto and transfer him to some other, malleable and unworthy vessel. Kyuubi also knew that Madara was on stand-by just at the outskirts of the village, ready to sweep in and take Kyuubi away from Konoha.

The bijuu had no intension of merging with the Juubi and losing his sense of self.

Naruto would kill himself before anyone could attempt to extract Kyuubi, therefore taking the demon with him.

Kyuubi wasn't going to permit that either. However, he had one obstacle to cross.

Danzo.

There was slyness in that man that could rival a snake's. His dirty, perverted and blind loyalty towards the village that was more destructive than helpful. He had used the invasion of Konoha by the Akatsuki to take over the title of the Hokage. He had marched in when Tsunade was weak and took over her position in the most dishonorable manner.

At first, Danzo hadn't paid much attention to his host. Naruto had remained loyal to Konoha, as the exiled Tsunade had requested. Therefore, Danzo hadn't been too concerned about him. He had served his village and Rokudaime Hokage was not about to let the powerhouse that was Naruto slip through his fingers.

Danzo had personally taken up Naruto's training. He had seen to it that Naruto would never betray him or Konoha and Kyuubi knew that he had been very pleased with the results.

Naruto's name rose to infamy. He was the tool that Danzo used to increase Konoha's power. He became so feared amongst their adversaries that his mere presence was enough to make them submit to Danzo's will.

Kyuubi was content to let things proceed as they were. Bloodthirsty as he was, he loved Naruto's current profession as an ANBU commander.

That was when the people of Konoha started to see Naruto as a possible successor to Danzo. An escape from Danzo.

The old warmonger had gone in for the kill then. He used every dirty tactic in the book to keep Naruto in line. He took away Naruto's personal support base, arresting his childhood friends on false charges of treason.

One by one, Naruto lost touch everyone who had kept him alive and hopeful. While the Hope of Konoha still believed that his friends were alive somewhere in captivity, the lack of proof about their survival ate at him.

When protests in Konoha reached to such heights that a civil war became eminent, Danzo went after the one person who was keeping Konoha's hope for freedom alive.

Uzumaki Naruto.

Danzo would regret it. Kyuubi knew that. Rebellion was brewing and seething underneath the surface. Many ninja and villagers had come to see Naruto as their last hope to freedom from Danzo's oppressive rule. They knew that Naruto had enough power and enough support to bring the Rokudaime Hokage down and take over his position.

Even if he succeeded in killing Naruto, (which Kyuubi would never allow) he wouldn't last long. The demon knew that many people were just itching to kill him and none of them was as merciful as Naruto was.

There was only one solution. He needed to get Naruto out of Konoha before Danzo could even act on his plans.

"Brat, come to me." The demon called, his voice a low, lazy purr.

It did not take long before a young, handsome man appeared in front of him. Eyes like chip of ice gazed at him steadily. Long blond hair tied in a top knot swayed slightly, some of the strands cradling his finely sculpted face. Lean and tall, the man was the epitome of what a Shinobi should be, seeming like a brave and handsome warrior that women fantasized over.

Kyuubi observed him silently for a while, meeting Naruto's unflinching gaze with some degree of amusement. "How long till you are executed by the fool?" he asked.

Naruto tilted his head to the side in a thoughtful manner, seemingly unaffected by the fact that he was going to be killed soon. "That I don't know." He murmured, his low, smooth voice echoing softly in the chamber, "They said that he won't announce when I'm going to be executed because he fears that the rebels will try to stop it and rescue me."

Kyuubi hummed thoughtfully as he channeled his chakra to swirl around Naruto, "My stay with you has been amusing, brat. I'm not about to let it end so early." At Naruto's look of confusion, he grinned, his menacing fangs gleaming in the darkness, "It seems fate has something more in store for you yet."

The ANBU captain blinked at the demon, choosing to be silent. Brilliant fire embraced him, yet he was unaffected by it. His long hair danced around as flames covered his being. "You're a toy, Namikaze Naruto. A puppet. However, no one but the Fate is permitted to play with you." Naruto narrowed his eyes, "Your purpose has not yet been fulfilled. You can't defy fate and willingly give up on life. There's a prophecy at play here, boy and you're a part of it."

Cool blue eyes flashed dangerously, "What do you mean to imply, Kyuubi?"

"You'll understand when it is time for you to understand." The fox said with no small amount of amusement, "Too much damage has already been done. We must do this all over again. I give you this one jutsu, a jutsu that no one in Konoha but you can perform. You will take us back in time to the day before your birth, the day before I attacked Konoha."

"You're deluded to think that I'd agree to this scheme." Naruto stated, his lips curling into a scowl of disgust. "You think that I'm willing to believe the words coming from the mouth of a demon?"

Kyuubi's grin sharpened, "Do you wish for Konoha to burn underneath the wrath of _that man_? Do you wish for your precious friends to die? To see the village that your father sacrificed his life for, perish because you were too reluctant to accept the words of a demon. My motives are entirely selfish. Uchiha Madara is waiting for the right moment to strike. I have no desire to merge with the Juubi and end my existence."

Naruto's icy expression faltered for a moment, his eyes meeting Kyuubi's dead on. "You speak the truth? Do you swear on Inari-sama that you speak the truth?"

Kyuubi's eyes narrowed. An oath sworn in the name of Inari-sama was the strongest binding oath that Naruto could demand from the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Once sworn, Kyuubi would not be able to lie about the matter. However, he also knew that without the oath, Naruto would not believe him.

"I swear in the name of Inari-sama that I speak the truth." The demon promised and could feel the weight of the oath settle on him. "As far as I know, there is no other way to deal with this situation and you must do as I say."

Naruto frowned in thought, "Very well." He conceded, "However, I still fail to see how I'd ever be able to perform the seal when I'm being watched constantly. Moreover, I'm being housed in a prison cell that soaks up my chakra as soon as I release it."

Kyuubi grinned slowly, his eyes gleaming in amusement.

"Who said that you cannot perform the seal here? In your mind?"

Naruto's eyes widened.

* * *

Namikaze Minato frowned, rubbing his temples tiredly tried to ward off the ache that had developed there. Before him, scrolls detailing various sealing methods lay littered on his desk. He leaned forward with a sigh, looking at one particular scroll in front of him.

'_**Evil Spirit Binding Seal: To seal an evil spirit into an animal is one of the strongest methods to contain the spirit and weaken it enough to kill it. Once sealed into a low, harmless animal, the spirit can only use the natural strength of the host body and nothing else. It will lose all powers that it possessed before it was sealed away.**_'

Minato shook his head, '_Too weak._' He thought to himself, '_This will only work on low level demons, not a bijuu. No way in hell would a demon as powerful as Kyuubi no Kitsune be contained by this seal._'

He tossed the scroll away in frustration and picked up another one.

'_**The Soul Seal: A dangerous, S-class KinJutsu, this seal must only be used in dire circumstances. This seal will tear a soul away from its natural body and destroy it. The body will be soulless and therefore easier to kill. However, the person who uses this seal on his opponent must be stronger than his opponent spiritually and psychologically or the outcome will be disastrous.**_'

Minato scoffed, '_Stronger willpower and mental strength than a centuries old demon? You have got to be joking. This can never work._'

Absently, he unfurled another scroll and paused, his eyes widening as he read the title.

'_**Shiki Fuujin.**_'

Crystal blue eyes narrowed in determination. Shiki Fuujin should work. It would cost his life, but it would work. However, Kyuubi, even with the Shinigami's assistance, would not be defeated so easily. If the demon escaped, Minato would not be able to help because he would be dead then.

'_Just Shiki Fuujin would not do._' He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. '_I need to do something along with Shiki Fuujin… Kyuubi is too powerful for me to deal with alone._'

Something about the entire situation just rubbed him wrong. Someone wanted Konoha destroyed but who had the power to lord over Kyuubi like that? It seemed unlikely that _anyone_ would be able to command or control such an entity.

There was one person who could control the Kyuubi. Only one person, according to history, could summon Kyuubi and command it.

He shook his head. '_He is dead. There's no use thinking about it._' He looked down at the scrolls littered on his desk, '_Kami-sama, help me. I'm out of options here._'

Suddenly one word rang through his mind like a death knell, causing his eyes to widen and skin to pale.

'_Jinchuuriki._'

He didn't even want to consider that. However, he was running out of time and that was the only solution he could think of. He knew that there were other villages that had a Jinchuuriki amongst them but to enforce such a burden on a single human being?

Could he really do it?

Minato knew that the Kazekage had just sealed the Ichibi into his youngest child and the very thought sent chills down his spine. His own son? How could that bastard be so cruel to subject his son to that? It killed his own wife and Minato knew that no amount of power in the world could enough to warrant such a high price.

Those thoughts inevitably led him to think of his wife. His very pregnant wife and he paled even further.

'_No, no, no…_' he shook his head, recoiling at the mere thought of it. He ran a shaking hand through his hair. '_Oh God, I can't do it. I can't force this upon my son, I can't._' he though desperately to himself, '_I'll find someone else… surely there are orphans…_'

Minato flinched, closing his eyes as he felt an acute pang of sadness within him. How could he think of sacrificing someone else's child when he did not want to sacrifice his own? What kind of Hokage would he be?

Shaking his head, Minato decided that he would think about it later. He needed to find a safe way to seal the demon into a child without it harming the host. Be it his own child or someone else's.

With that grim thought in mind, he started sorting through the scrolls in front of him. However, his hand faltered when he sensed a subtle shift in the environment. Looking beyond his desk, he saw a complex seal burning itself onto the wooden floor of his office.

He instantly recognized the rare, forbidden seal and quickly reached for his kunai.

Hitotoki no Kamei Fuuin. (Command of time seal.)

An immensely complex seal that was similar to his Hiraishin. It required a large amount of chakra as well as precise control to _attempt_ such a jutsu. To travel through time successfully, the person had to be a master in every aspect of FuuinJutsu, including Hand-Seals. The person had only a thirty-second leeway to start and complete the technique. It required a large amount of skill.

Whoever was attempting to come here was obviously a very powerful individual. Minato just hoped that the person was not an enemy. He didn't need the added amount of stress at that moment.

The atmosphere of the office suddenly became heavy and the young Hokage prepared himself to defend if necessary. He stood there, poised and attentive. His eyes scanned the seal design that had appeared on the floor, marveling how flawless it was. Perfectly drawn, without even a single character out of place, it was a masterpiece.

There was no smoke, explosions, or any surge of chakra. In fact, he doubted that anybody would have noticed it if it that not occurred in front of them. Suddenly a tall and lean young man dressed in the ANBU captain's robes appeared before him.

Minato narrowed his eyes, on guard and ready to defend if necessary.

His sharp eyes caught sight of the man's headband and he frowned when he saw the proud insignia of Konoha on it.

He was a Konoha shinobi.

"Who are you?" He asked, keeping his voice neutral. The man looked up, his startling blue eyes clashing with his own and Minato almost recoiled in surprise. He saw the exact same color every time he looked into the mirror.

He moved swiftly when the unknown ANBU stumbled. It was obvious to him that the ninja was in no condition to fight. Carefully, he maneuvered the man to sit on a chair, all the while observing him closely, making sure that it was not just an act.

The time-traveler sat silently for a while, trying to catch his breath and getting his shaking body under control. His long silky blonde hair clung to his sweat covered face and he carelessly brushed it away, staining his cheek and his hair red with blood. It was then Minato noticed that his wrists were bleeding and Yondaime assumed that was from the ritual to perform that Jutsu.

Minato waited patiently for the captain to collect himself. He watched as the stranger regained his bearings and scanned the office before looking at him. The ANBU straightened immediately, beginning to stand in attention.

"At ease." Yondaime commanded before the young man could stand. "An explanation, if you will?" he asked politely but there was no mistaking the underlying hint of steel in his voice.

"Forgive me for my abrupt arrival Yondaime-sama." The blonde murmured in a soft baritone voice. He raised his bleeding wrists towards the Hokage, "If you would permit, I would bandage these before I provide an explanation for my presence here."

Minato nodded and immediately fetched a roll of bandage that he always kept with him. He tossed it at the boy and watched as he winced but wrapped the wounds expertly. "First and foremost," the stranger began, looking at Yondaime in the eye to prove his sincerity, "I'm a loyal shinobi of Konohagakure and I promise that I mean you or the village no harm. I know this is difficult to believe but I'm willing to submit myself to a full investigation, if you so desire."

Minato leaned back, observing him keenly before nodding in acceptance.

The man took a deep breath, "As far as my knowledge goes, you're an expert in seals. I assume you recognize the seal I used to transport myself here?"

"Yes." Minato confirmed, "And it speaks greatly about your own skills and ability in seals. Obviously, it takes a lot of effort to perform, so why are you here and who are you?"

The stranger combed his fingers through his hair, tucking a strand of it behind his ear. "Why I am here is a long story that I will explain later." He said softly, blue eyes looking at him with an expression that he did not realize, "As to who I am… well, are you quite ready to hear that Yondaime-sama?"

Minato narrowed his eyes, "Who are you?"

The boy sighed, "For the first sixteen years of my life, I went by the name of Uzumaki Naruto." His lips curled into a small frown, "However, my rightful name is Namikaze Naruto."

Minato stilled completely, his wide eyes fixed on the person sitting in front of him. The young man smiled, a tad bit bitterly, "I see you understand." He whispered dryly, "Let me confirm it. I am your son Yondaime-sama."

"Son?" Minato gasped, suddenly looking at the man in front of him with different eyes. Those blue eyes, that mouth that could curl into a wide grin, a mischievous smirk or a stubborn frown, those arched brows and high cheekbones, they were all his. The shape of his eyes was all Kushina, along with the length and the straightness of the hair. That stubborn light in Naruto's eyes was Kushina as well along with the lean, slender built.

"You are my son." He said in disbelief.

Abruptly, he got his emotions under his control and narrowed his eyes at the Captain before him, "Do you have any proof?"

Naruto nodded calmly, "There is proof in my blood. You're free to test it against yours or my mother's." Yondaime stilled at the mention of his wife, "Yes, I know you're married to Uzumaki Kushina… or should I say Namikaze Kushina?" he leaned forward, "I know that you rescued her from a dangerous situation by following the trail she left behind."

Yondaime stiffed. That particular story was unknown. What happened between Kushina and himself during that mission was not disclosed to anyone. He had never reported _how_ he rescued her.

"There are only two men who have complimented mother's beautiful red hair." Naruto said with a smile that Yondaime slowly returned, "And only those two men have received those precious words in return. You know them, don't you? Those words…"

Minato leaned back in his seat and observed his grown son, "Yes."

Naruto decided to end the sentimentality there, "There is little else I can tell you. Whether you believe me or not doesn't really affect my purpose here." He said, schooling his expression.

The Yondaime frowned, "Give me your profile."

Naruto nodded curtly and raised his right hand. Concentrating, he let his chakra come forth to reveal the seal that was on his palm.

Yondaime raised a brow, "A storage seal on your own body? How does that work?"

Naruto scoffed, "With a few modifications. Circumstance forced me to keep all valuable weapons and documents sealed on my person so that I could have access to them under any situation."

The Hokage nodded, finding that explanation reasonable. However, he did keep himself on guard. The boy _had_ mentioned that he stored his weapons in that seal as well.

Naruto retrieved a single scroll and placed it on the Kage's desk, making sure that all his actions were simple and straightforward. He didn't want the Yondaime to think of him as a threat.

Minato carefully picked up the scroll and unfurled it, his sharp, alert eyes scanning the details.

He immediately raised a brow, his stern eyes landing on his son, "Graduating from Academy after _two_ failed attempts?"

Naruto didn't even have the grace to look sorry, simply shrugging and meeting his father's eye without a flinch.

Minato frowned and looked back at the report. As he went on, his frown deepened, "Why is your record so inconsistent? You were never promoted to Chunin but jumped directly to ANBU? Becoming a Captain in less than a year? Why?"

"Ranks didn't matter in my case." Naruto replied bluntly, "I can't explain this thoroughly just yet, but let's just say, I saved the village from being destroyed completely and was rewarded for it. An on-field promotion, if you will." He narrowed his eyes at his father, "Feel free to evaluate me at any given time, Yondaime-sama. My true achievements cannot be reflected on paper."

"This piece of paper gives away more than you realize. And C-rank turned B-rank successfully completed just weeks after becoming a Genin. An A-rank battle to defeat an enemy Jinchuuriki, retrieval mission to bring the Godaime..." Minato looked up, "So I can safely say that I don't exist here."

Naruto closed his eyes and nodded.

"A-rank to retrieve a traitor, though unsuccessful. A two and a half year training trip as the apprentice of Jiraiya-sensei." Minato chuckled, "Like father like son. After that, an instant A-rank to assist in rescuing the Godaime Kazekage. _Another_ A-rank to infiltrate an enemy village and retrieve a rogue nin. A-rank… which was awarded to you for killing a missing nin. Another training expedition… and an _S-rank_ mission with a _Special Mention_! What the hell?"

"I did say I rescued Konoha from near destruction."

"You defeated a SS-class shinobi? As a genin?" Minato asked in disbelief. "I want full details; the report only gives me bare minimum." He commanded sternly before returning to the scroll, "Tell me, have you ever done a normal, simple C-class mission? I have never witnessed such a misleading record. Officially, you should've been a Jounin."

Naruto shrugged, "I have. Still, my circumstances were different. Someday, I'll tell you the entire story if you so desire."

"Do I even want to read more?" Minato asked skeptically, gesturing towards the scroll.

"If you're getting a heart-attack from just that, then I suggest you refrain. Went directly into the ANBU squad from there and took over the Captainship seven months after joining. I'm currently eighteen years of age. I specialize in NinJutsu and FuuinJutsu." He glanced at a calendar that was on the Hokage's desk, "Tomorrow. Your son will be born tomorrow."

Minato paled, running his fingers through his hair. "Tomorrow… the Kyuubi…" he whispered to himself.

Naruto's eyes narrowed and he glanced sharply at the scrolls littered on the surface of the table. In an instant, his expression turned icy. "Preparing to seal away the Kyuubi, I see." He stated, his lips curling into a smirk when Minato looked up at him sharply. "That's one of the reasons why I'm here." He said blandly, gesturing towards the scrolls, "I'll help you seal the demon within your son."

"_**No**_!" Yondaime's protest was loud and immediate, "No." he whispered weakly as Naruto raised a brow, "Why him?"

Naruto shrugged, "We are a family of ninja." He stated bluntly, "That's what you said once… when you sealed away the Kyuubi." He removed his ANBU cloak, followed by his jacket and then his shirt. Channeling his chakra, he allowed the seal to appear, "This is something that I cannot stop." He looked at his father, icy blue eyes narrowed, "What I _can_ stop is your death."

Minato inhaled sharply at the sight of the seal and at Naruto's words. "This…"

"Shiki Fuujin used in conjunction with Hakke Fuuin and Shishou Fuuin. The very proof of your skill." Naruto stated, pride warning with pain in his eyes. "It's a double edged sword in my arsenal. It's the cause of almost all my troubles and also the very reason that I'm alive right now."

"Forgive me." Minato said desperately. "I…"

"Did what you had to do." Naruto stated, "I'd have done the very same thing if I were in your position." He shook his head, "We'll have time for this later. I'm sure that you must have realized by now that Kyuubi is coming here for a reason?"

Minato nodded, his eyes narrowed. If his son could be wise and brave enough to face the inevitable with such grace than he would try to be just as accepting. "There's something more at play here than just the Kyuubi." Naruto murmured and his father raised a brow in question. "Konoha needs to be strong."

He looked at the Yondaime in the eye, "You had the courage to die for Konoha, Yondaime-sama. You must now muster the courage to _live_ for it."

The Yondaime watched his teenaged son rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly, "Kyuubi thinks that I… Naruto has a bigger role to play…That there's a destiny… a prophecy" he shook his head in disgust, "_That_ I still don't get but the bastard swore an oath in the name of Inari so I _know_ that he isn't lying. He can't lie under such a powerful oath or Inari will have his head."

"A prophecy?" Minato asked skeptically.

"Yeah, don't ask me. This just goes to prove that those bastards up there have shit for brains." He gestured roughly at the sky. "We're going to use the same seal." He gestured towards his stomach, "I'm going to perform it instead of you."

"I think you're forgetting your place, captain." Minato said icily, "I am the Hokage. What made you think that I'll agree to this?"

Naruto gave him a cool look that Minato just _knew_ he would come to hate in the future. That particular look told him many things. It told him that Naruto was now set on a mission and nothing would be able to stop him. That icy single-mindedness to do one's mission no matter what the cost was something Minato never wanted to see in his son's eyes. He knew how Kakashi suffered because of it and he didn't want anyone else to suffer as well.

"There's a chance that I'll survive." Naruto explained, "I have two souls within me. The jutsu will tax me, doubtlessly. It will be painful, of that I've no doubt but there is a chance that I'll survive where you definitely would not."

Minato scowled, he was reluctant to concede but knew that Naruto had a point. "I still don't want you to do this." He leaned forward as his demeanor subconsciously changed, growing sterner and more commanding. "Even if I die, there are many people who'd look after my son. And you can prevent whatever you want to prevent from happening. You already know what is going on so…"

"You don't get it do you?" Naruto asked, narrowing his eyes. "Konoha needs Yondaime Hokage. Sandaime isn't fit to take over the position anymore. Naruto needs his father, his _father,_ not some replacement."

Minato's eyes softened, "Naruto…"

"Please,_ please,_" the younger man begged softly, "Let me do this. If I do this, we can secretly seal Kyuubi away even before it reaches Konoha and no one will be wiser. Everyone who knows that it is approaching would just assume that it vanished somewhere." He waved his hand dismissively, "There's something going on here that both you and I don't understand. You know of it… Jiraiya-sensei has told you of it. There's a storm coming, father."

A tense silence surrounded them as Minato looked at Naruto. There was a sense of awkwardness in the air. The word '_father_' hung between them, bringing sentiments into a conversation where there was no room for emotions.

Suddenly, Minato laughed harshly and Naruto started, looking at him with wide eyes. "You call me father." He said, "And in the same breath, you ask me to let you sacrifice your life in place of mine?" The Hokage whispered, running a shaking hand through his hair. "I have my supposed son sitting in front of me saying that he is willing to die. Another who is going to be born tomorrow not knowing that the first thing his father would do for him would be to seal a demon within him."

Naruto paused, a frown marring his regal features. "Yondaime-sama…"

"You want me to choose between a father's duty and a Hokage's. How do I do that?" Yondaime asked, still looking lost. "Everything was going so perfectly." Minato said softly, "We won the war with Stone; peace was finally at our door-step. I fulfilled my life-long dream of being the Hokage. Kushina agreed to marry me and I was over the moon. Then she said that she was pregnant and I felt as though no one was happier than I was. But this…_this_ I did not anticipate. I did not anticipate Kyuubi's arrival hanging like a death-sentence over my family."

Naruto flinched.

Minato took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Alright." The Hokage said, straightening his posture and looking at Naruto with piercing eyes. "Why should I agree?"

Naruto sighed, at least is father was considering the option. Looking at the Hokage, he noted that he was now perfectly composed. "Your death is _not_ acceptable. Please understand that. So many things would fall into place if I just do this. There are factors that you can't even begin to understand. There are people out there who could bring Konoha to its knees and we need a strong leader… there was no one where I came from." Naruto clenched his hand in frustration, "Trust me, please."

Minato observed him for a long while, blue eyes unreadable.

"Very well." He said finally, looking extremely reluctant to agree.

Naruto's relieved smile was so brilliant that Minato turned away from it, praying that everything would work out.

* * *

"Are you ready?" A low voice asked and Minato sighed, "I don't know sensei." He whispered, sounding weak. He already felt as though everything was going down hill. Looking down at the small, silent bundle in his arms, he smiled painfully, "Kushina…" he whispered brokenly, "They say that she might not make it…"

Jiraiya sighed, "They're trying everything they can." He said softly, "Obstetrical hemorrhage… she's bleeding too heavily."

Yondaime smiled, caressing Naruto's pink, pudgy cheek, "He's beautiful." He whispered, "And I know he would grow up to be an excellent man."

Jiraiya scoffed, turning his head slightly to look at the teenaged boy who was studying a scroll intently. "Beautiful, is right. As far as physical features go, he surely looks like he could be your son. He looks like Kushina as well. If you ignore his coloring, you can see more of Kushina in him. If this is a ruse, it's a brilliant one."

The Yondaime shook his head, "A full analysis was done on his blood. They used every trick in the book to see if Naruto was lying, sensei. I even had Inoichi do a mind walk on the boy. Both his DNA and the results from Inoichi say that he's my son." He looked at the Gama Sennin, "They ran the DNA test three times just to be sure."

Jiraiya looked over at his student's supposed son and grunted, "Good to have some rational proof as well. Still, there are some eerie resemblances in your gestures, Minato. His chakra feels like Kushina's. And what's with that ridiculously long hair? I guess he inherited that from Kushina as well? It certainly doesn't resemble your rat's nest."

Minato looked at the older version of the infant in his arms and smiled, "His hair was just like mine before he grew it out. That has nothing to do with Kushina and everything to do with you."

Jiraiya looked at his student in surprise, "Me?"

The Yondaime chuckled, "Apparently, he grew his hair out to honor your memory." The Sennin raised a brow, "And because he had learned Hari Jizo from the notes you left him as an inheritance."

"Long hair isn't exactly necessary for that." Jiraiya pointed out before shrugging, "Not that I mind." He narrowed his eyes at Minato, "Has he seen Kushina?"

His student sighed, "Yeah. He's more upset over Kushina's condition than he would like to admit." He said softly, "He came here to save his family as well as the village. The possibility that he might lose her before he has a chance to know her pains him." The Hokage shook his head, "I think that a son would always be attached to his mother whether he knows her or not."

Jiraiya frowned, observing those pale features and the white knuckled grip the boy had on the scroll. "He looks nervous. Minato, will he be able to perform the seals? You say that he used Hitotoki no Kamei Fuuin but…"

Minato nodded, "I worry about that as well." Sharp blue eyes were thoughtful as he observed his teenage son, "He's so young, sensei. I don't now how he'll deal with this responsibility." He looked at the scroll Naruto was holding with a frown, "I don't want to doubt his skills but sealing is such an obscure art and requires so much of time and dedication… I don't know if he will be able to do it. I fear that something may go wrong."

"There are some who are younger than us but far more skilled." A wise voice interrupted them and both Jiraiya and Minato turned around in slight surprise.

"Sensei." Jiraiya nodded while Minato greeted Sandaime as well.

The older man smile, peering down at the sleeping baby in Minato's arms with a fond look in his eyes, "This is _your_ son we are talking about, Minato." Sandaime said, an amused look on his face, "When you first joined the Konoha-Iwa war, you were younger than he's now and most would say that we won the war because of you. I don't think we can afford to underestimate anyone who has the Namikaze and the Uzumaki blood running through his veins." The older man reached forward and caressed the baby Naruto's cheek, "I trusted you with a great responsibility when you were barely older than him," he nodded towards the teenager, "You can extend the same courtesy to him."

Minato turned, his eyes intent on the boy, watching as he jotted down some quick notes on a paper, murmuring to himself. There was a sense of urgency in his actions. A sense of forcefulness that indicted that Naruto was using it to distract himself from other, more painful thoughts.

There was no faking the sheer agony in Naruto's eyes when he saw Kushina struggle for her life. That was the final nail in the coffin for Minato, a blatant proof that Naruto was indeed Kushina's son and his son as well. Witnessing Naruto hold Kushina's hand and look at her with desperate longing clearly written on his face was painful. He reminded him that his son had been an orphan.

Minato wanted to destroy the guilt that he could see in Naruto's eyes before it had chance to take root. Yet, he didn't know him well enough to offer comfort. No words he could say would convince Naruto that nothing was his fault.

That he was the one true innocent in all of this mess.

"It's difficult, isn't it?" A soft voice asked him and he looked at Sandaime in question, "Difficult to know that you're his father yet know that you didn't raise him, that you couldn't protect him."

Minato sighed and nodded but before he could speak his mind, a jounin appeared in the chamber, looking urgently at the Hokage, "Yondaime-sama," he gasped, "It's the Kyuubi… "

Minato snapped his head towards Naruto who nodded to him. "Alright, we're prepared for this. Have the civilian escorted to the evacuation bunkers. All senior jounin and chunin are to apply themselves to the defense of the village."

The jounin nodded and left the chamber hurriedly.

The Hokage looked at the ANBU that always shadowed him as his guard and gestured him to come forward, "Gather ANBU Primary Offence Units 1 to 4. They'll be accompanying Sandaime-sama. Incase we fail, Sandaime-sama is our only chance." The young Namikaze looked at his predecessor and nodded, "You know what to do, sir."

"Of course." Sarutobi said gently.

Minato turned to face the ANBU again, "Emergency Protection Units 8 and 9 will be with Jiraiya-sama. Keep doing constant sweeps of the village to ensure that no intruder slips in."

"I suggest we take the Primary Defense Detail with us." Naruto spoke up for the first time. "They have the best shield experts."

"Very good." Minato agreed before handing a Hiraishin tagged kunai to Sandaime and Jiraiya. He then handed one to the ANBU, "Give this to Tanaka. He's appointed to guard my wife. Tell his to stay by her side, no matter what happens. That's all, you may leave."

The ANBU bowed and left silently and swiftly.

"You should leave." Jiraiya suggested, "If we delay any longer, Kyuubi would come too close to our borders."

Minato nodded and handed his infant son to Naruto carefully before bending down and placing a kiss on his child's forehead. Naruto gave him a curt nod, awkwardly rolling up the scrolls in front of him as his one hand was occupied with the baby.

Minato caught sight of the final seal design and his eyes widened at the intricate work. Naruto had been meticulous, nothing was out of place and the Hokage wondered briefly if even _he_ could pull off such perfection.

His child had definitely inherited his mother's skills.

The Hokage was the first to leave the tower and the Primary Defense detail was quick to surround him. Naruto followed, draping his large while coat over the child in his arm to hide him from sight.

As they travelled through the village, the sense of nervousness and dread was palpable. Many a civilians called out the Hokage urgently but Minato ignored them all. His eyes were focused on the monstrous entity that was now destroying Konoha's gates.

"Shit, we're too late." Naruto whispered in distress.

"That's not a problem." Minato said icily before he shot forward in a subtle, almost invisible flash. The group on ANBU that accompanied them looked baffled and alarmed as their Hokage raced forward.

Naruto cursed under his breath before using his coat to form a make-shift sling and tucking the baby safely in it. He looked at the ANBU and scowled, "Don't run about like headless chickens! Split up. Four with me and two with Yondaime. Inform him that I'm at the shrine. He knows where. Go Now!"

There was so much command and power in Naruto's voice that they instinctively followed the orders.

Naruto zipped past the frantic villagers and ninja's at amazing speed. The ANBU following where hard pressed to keep up. Holding the baby in his arms protectively, he shot past Yondaime as the man confronted the Kyuubi, doing his best not to draw the beast's attention.

That was in vain. Kyuubi sensed Naruto's formidable chakra instantly along with the lingering hint of its own demonic power.

The bijuu immediately turned towards Naruto, its Sharingan eyes focusing instantly on him.

Naruto didn't bother to stop, sensing the massive attack that Kyuubi favored racing towards him.

He had absolute trust in Yondaime's skills.

"Careful!" The Hokage called out as he appeared just behind Naruto. Using his unique Hiraishin kunai, he let the Time-Space portal form and swallow Kyuubi's Bijudama attack. The large black ball of power disappeared without a trace, transported to combust in a safe place where no one could get hurt.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Minato called out as Naruto raced ahead, ignoring everything that was going on behind him.

He needed to get the baby ready for sealing.

"Naruto, the shrine." Yondaime called out.

"Hai." Naruto replied loudly before executing his own version of _Hiraishin_. A protective shroud of chakra enveloped him and his disappeared from sight.

Minato turned his attention towards the Kyuubi, "Sorry Bunta." The toad boss just grunted as he was summoned right on top of Kyuubi. "Just hold him down a moment. I'll need a lot of chakra to transport Kyuubi."

"_**Don't take too long.**_" The toad summon replied gruffly.

Before anyone could react, Minato transported the Bijuu away from the village in a large burst of chakra.

The moment Minato appeared in the shrine, his breath caught in his throat at the sight of his wife. She looked pale and weak but even from a distance; he could see that her eyes held a stubborn light in them.

"Kushina-san…" Naruto pleaded, "You need to go back to the hospital. It isn't safe here! Yondaime-sama and I'll handle it!"

Minato cursed as Kyuubi attempted to attack his little family and worked on distracting it. Dread started coiling in his stomach because of Kushina's presence. How were they supposed to protect her as well as seal away the Kyuubi? For once, Minato wished that his wife's hadn't been such a strong Kunoichi.

Kushina's clear voice rang out as she replied, "I know just what you and your father have planned and I'm not going to sit back and do nothing as my _son _sacrifices his life!"

Naruto stepped back, rendered speechless by her knowledge. She wasn't supposed to know about him. How could she recognize him on sight, anyways? She had been unconscious when he had visited her in the hospital.

"Kushina!" Minato growled, "Now's not the time to be stubborn! You're in no condition to fight!"

His wife paid him no mind. Her attention was on the Kyuubi. Her chakra shot forward in the form of chains, binding the bijuu and forcing it to the ground. She was determined to play her own part, unwilling to allow anyone to get hurt.

When the beast was somewhat subdued, she turned and glared at her husband and her adult child. "Minato, I don't know _what_ you're thinking but letting our son go forth with this suicidal scheme is foolishness!"

"Damn it, Kushina! We don't have time to argu-"

"Mother." Naruto interrupted, his voice catching as he saw her fall to her knees, "Please return to the hospital." he stepped back and started executing some swift handseals, "I know exactly what I'm doing."

_Snake, Boar, Ram, Rabbit, Dog, Rat, Bird, Horse, Snake…_

A small wave of chakra erupted from Naruto and the Shinigami's large form appeared behind him. A ball of bright light appeared between the Shinigami and Naruto but it seemed to have no particular form.

Kushina let out a cry of protest but couldn't find the energy to move. Minato rushed towards his weakened wife, helping her sit up while keeping a careful eye on his infant son and his adult one.

"With Shiki Fuujin, I'll be sealing away half of Kyuubi's power away forever." Naruto informed seriously. "The other half, I'll seal within Naruto using Hakke Fuuin."

"You fool!" Kushina cried out hoarsely, "Shiki Fuujin won't work if you're already the host!"

Kyuubi's massive head snapped towards Naruto and he let of a fearsome roar.

"Mother." He said calmly, "As long as I don't have _that_" he gestured towards the large bijuu, "Kyuubi in me, I can perform Shiki Fuujin. While it is true that a Jinchuuriki can't perform Shiki Fuujin, I'm an exception. The mere fact that a version of Kyuubi is inside me allows me to perform the jutsu and _survive!_"

Minato narrowed his eyes as he analyzed the ball of unrecognizable light that Shinigami's hair had kept trapped. It didn't look like a humanoid shape… it didn't look like Naruto's soul.

Maybe Naruto's plan was succeeding…

"Minato…" Kushina protested weakly, "Please stop him. I can take Kyuubi into myself. That way you'll have some time before it regenerates. There is no need for this!"

"You know we can't do that, Kushina." He replied softly. "This is the only way."

"But he's our son! _They_ are our sons! There has to be another way!"

"We're doing this for Naruto!" Minato snapped before reaching forward and cupping her cold cheek gently, "There's something terrible on the horizon and I feel that our child is in the midst of it. We _must_ do this."

"_Shiki Fuujin._"

Both alarmed parents turned swiftly to look at Naruto, watching as the boy fell to his knee. The Shinigami's hand went through him and straight at Kyuubi, ruthlessly snatching away Kyuubi's Yin chakra. The technique looked simple, however the fact that Kyuubi had shrunk to half its previous size was a testiment of its power. The Yin chakra merged into the soul that Shinigami had kept captive and visibly took on the Kyuubi's shape.

Naruto let out a string of curses and he struggled to regain his breath, feeling an abrupt loss of chakra. However, both Minato and Kushina looked visibly relieved. "Quick, place the baby on the ceremonial pedestal. I don't know how much longer I can stay conscious." Naruto whispered urgently. Minato nodded and placed his infant son on the pedestal.

However, before they could go ahead with the sealing, Kyuubi lashed out, taking advantage of Kushina's weakening state.

All three of them reacted at once, shielding the baby with their own bodies. Kyuubi's single claw went through Minato's shoulder, Kushina's chest and Naruto's stomach but it couldn't reach the true object of its wrath.

The child was untouched.

Naruto grit his teeth, ignoring the mind-numbing pain. "Shh…" he whispered painfully when the child started wailing, "Be brave, Naru-chan." He soothed. Kneeling down, he gathered what was left of his chakra. Swiftly and expertly, he drew seals onto the child's body with his blood so that he could complete the task. "Shh, please Naru-chan." Naruto pleaded once again as the child whimpered.

As soon as he was finished, he started forming handseals, "Hakke no Fuuin Shiki." He whispered, placing his fingers gently on one of the three sets of runes, watching with blurry eyes as they seal came alive and started functioning. Taking another shaky breath, he formed another set of handseals, "Shishou Fuuin." He whispered again, channeling his rabidly depleting chakra.

When his task was completed, all he saw was a flash of light and the child's smiling face before exhaustion overwhelmed him.

He stumbled, feeling his parents' weight on his back. Minato's shaking arms held him up as blackness threatened to consume him.

Naruto chuckled weakly before closing his eyes.

_It was done…_


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Guardian of Fire.**

**Author: Agni**

**Summary: Starting over is never easy. Creating a new identity, facing different challenges isn't easy at all. Naruto must face all this because he must correct the mistakes of the present by traveling to the past. **

**Warnings: AU, Time travel, a bit of OOC but not too much. **

**Pairings: Naruto/Undecided, Naruto/Ino. Others not decided.**

**Chapter Rewrite Date: April 12, 2011**

* * *

_**-Two-**_

* * *

Minato was familiar with the concept of death. He accepted it as a part of his life as any good ninja would. He knew that it was inevitable. He knew that sometimes, it struck when one least expected it. Death was an unstoppable force that everyone had to face.

Knowing all these facts didn't make it any easier for Minato to face the grim reality of his wife's death.

They had first met as rivals. Then their feelings turned towards friendship. Friendship led to admiration and respect.

And that lead to love.

Their relationship had occupied the better part of their lives. They had known each other since they were kids. They had been through countless trials together, lending each other strength.

Kushina had left him, barely recovering from childbirth before she was killed by the Kyuubi.

Minato felt numb. He hid from the world, unwilling to deal with his responsibilities, grieving for his wife and watching over a son who seemed to be at death's door.

Many came, wishing to offer their condolences to him. Others came to demand explanations. Few disrupted his mourning, reminding him that he had a job to do. Some tried to pull him from his grief by reminding him that Konoha needed its Hokage.

Thankfully, Sandaime had taken care of everything in the Hokage tower. This allowed Minato to have time to close down the Namikaze family shrine, organize the wake, the cremation and open up the family burial plot for the burial. It was a painful process and all the condolences that he received felt hollow to him.

Minato was numb to it all. He sat by the time traveler's bed and watching his adult son's pallid features. He dutifully looked after the infant in his care and wondered why the world felt so bleak.

Where has his will to live done? Where was his zest for life? They seemed to have vanished with Kushina's last, gasping breath.

If that wasn't enough, the boy's condition too was uncertain. His chakra circulatory system was extremely stressed. He had yet to regain consciousness and alternated between high fevers and chills. His body was losing the battle fast and there was nothing Minato could do but sit and watch.

He sighed and bowed his head, gently placing it on the bed as he watched his infant son from the corner of his eyes.

'_This is going to be a problem.' _He mused, considering the names of both is sons. Almost every acquaintance knew that they were going to name their son '_Naruto_'. Moreover, Naruto was a pretty unique name, finding its inspiration in Jiraiya's novel. While the general population of Konoha didn't know about it, most of his friends, his students and some of the council people knew about it.

Letting the boy have his own name while giving his infant son some other name would surely raise suspicions. He wanted their story to be as air-tight as possible.

Especially if he wished to go ahead and tell everyone that the time traveler was his brother.

Minato had finally decided how he would explain the boy's presence to the council. Anyone with eyes could see that they were related and Yondaime knew that he couldn't tell them the truth. They were like vultures, they'd want to pry all the knowledge of the future from him and he didn't want to subject the boy to that.

The best solution that Minato came up involved his mother and it was still painful to speak about her. Namikaze Akaho had been a gentle mother but she was a kunoichi. A kunoichi of Stone. When she had married his father, ties between Konoha and Iwa were not something to worry over. They had been a happy family and she had agreed to settle in Konoha even if she had to give up her position in Iwagakure.

Then the ties between Konoha and Iwa started to deteriorate and the fights between his parents started to escalate. Finally, the fragile thread broke and his mother left them behind. She couldn't join Iwa again but she didn't support Konoha either. She simply left the village, left her son and walked away.

Minato was prepared to use her as an excuse. He was willing to tell the council that she was pregnant when she left and that the boy was his brother. His mother wasn't alive anymore to correct him anyways.

With a sigh, he looked down at the curious baby on his lap. "What do you think, Naru-chan? In your infinite wisdom, what would be the best name for your new uncle?" The child peered him, letting out a gurgle, "He can't be called Naruto now, can he? That's your name." he wriggled his fingers at his son with a grin, "How about something close to '_Naruto_'? '_Naruki_' perhaps?"

Yondaime thought over it distractedly, trying to keep his mind off more distressing subjects. "Or maybe '_Naruhiko_' could do as well, won't it? He does look like a prince, don't you think?" he smiled, looking at the boy on the bed, "He's as pretty as any prince." He tickled his son's belly with a small grin, "And we're going to tease him mercilessly about that, aren't we?"

His child let out an innocent laugh.

Yondaime chuckled, "I personally like '_Naruaki_' what do you think? '_Namikaze Naruaki_' sounds like a name the samurai of the old would have, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does sound quite impressive, I should say." A gruff voice interrupted his musings.

Minato turned around and nodded to Tsunade and Jiraiya. "I thought it would be best if we changed his name." Tsunade only nodded curtly, sweeping past the Yondaime and instantly going about checking her patient.

"Sensei sent these forms." Jiraiya said as he handed a file over to Minato, "Tsunade has already altered the boy's blood report to show that he's your brother. Apparently, all she had to do was remove Kushina's name from the report."

Tsunade snorted, "From the DNA standpoint, this brat is definitely your son, Minato." She informed, "I checked and rechecked everything." She closed her eyes and concentrated on her patient's chakra system, "He does have a hint of Kushina's special chakra. Unfortunately, not enough to be of any consequence. He definitely has your wind chakra. His physical condition is excellent, even by shinobi standards. I am guessing that he has inherited the Uzumaki clan vitality." She turned to look at the Hokage, "He wouldn't have survived the sealing if he didn't possess a portion of Kushina's natural strength."

"I was already convinced that he's my son, Tsunade-san." Minato replied.

The female Sannin nodded before going back to work. Jiraiya looked at the boy on the bed for a while before turning to Minato. "People are getting curious about him." He cautioned, "Sensei had asked you to fill up those forms as soon as possible. He suggested that the boy shouldn't take you last na-"

"No." Yondaime immediately interrupted, "He'll be a Namikaze by blood as well as name." he stated firmly. When the boy had introduced himself, something had told Yondaime that it was important for the child to hold the name _Namikaze_. The boy had declared himself in a way that indicated that he had _earned _the right to bear the name, instead of having it as a birthright.

Jiraiya favored him with a baffled look but merely shrugged in response. "I don't care much either way." He sat down on an empty seat and watched Tsunade work her miracle, "Sensei informed me of your plan. Simple but effective." He glanced at his student, "But claiming that the boy was born after your mother left the village in order to support Iwa would cast him in a suspicious light."

"Not if I tell them that he saved the village at great risk to his own life." Minato pointed out as he started filling in the details. He hoped that the boy approved of his new name but he couldn't really afford to wait any longer.

"Well, you better have some plausible explanation." Tsunade said curtly, "And from what Jiraiya tells me, its best we keep the knowledge of Naruto being a Jinchuuriki to ourselves."

Minato's countenance darkened, "Yes. Unlike Sandaime-sama, I don't believe that anyone needs to know about this. I still can't understand why…" he withheld a grimace at the thought of his predecessor. Sandaime had insisted that they let everyone know that Naruto was a Jinchuuriki because such information shouldn't be kept from the citizens of leaf.

"Sensei thinks that they won't believe our alternate explanation and that would lead to fear and unrest amongst the populace." Jiraiya said, "But I don't agree. That fear will dissipate over time. There's no need to risk Naruto's well-being such trivial things. Beside, the child will have enough on his plate. He doesn't need anything more."

Minato nodded. It was the first time that Minato had exercised authority over Sandaime. He had made it clear in no certain terms that Naruto's condition would be kept between themselves and no one would be privy to that information.

"No one but us will know that Naruto is a Jinchuuriki." Minato said with determination.

"That's good."

Both Minato and Jiraiya turned towards the bed instantly, their frowns melting with relief when they saw the boy sit up gingerly with the help of Tsunade.

"Merely keeping that a secret would prevent many problems." The injured boy said softly before turning his eyes to Tsunade and bowing his head a little, "Thank you, Tsunade-san."

Tsunade looked at him impassively for a long moment, studying him thoroughly, before scoffing. "You seem just as problematic as your father, brat. You dragged me back to Konoha."

He arched a brow, "Well, this isn't the first time I've done that." The boy then turned his attention towards Minato, "Is everything well?" He glanced at the baby in the Hokage's arms, "Is the child well, Yondaime-sama."

"Yes." Minato nodded, "We must discuss some important matters because the council and the villagers are still waiting for an explanation."

The younger boy raised a brow, "You managed to avoid them this long?" he asked, his raw voice carrying a hint of incredulity.

Minato nodded, smiling sadly, "I was busy arranging your mother's funeral."

His eyes widened, "She didn't?" he whispered in horror.

Tsunade saved Minato from answering, her voice filled with blunt professionalism. "From her medical reports, I gleaned that she was in a very delicate condition and needed complete rest. She defied the healer's orders and left the hospital. In the confrontation with Kyuubi, all three of you were stabbed with its claw. Minato's injury was relatively mild in comparison to yours and Kushina's. Kushina died instantly. You somehow managed to endure the pain and complete the sealing process." She favored him with a vaguely impressed look, "It took me many hours to repair the damage. You body was extremely stressed."

Jiraiya scoffed, "Stressed is an understatement. First the seal to travel back and you don't even allow yourself a moments rest before you start working on how to safely seal away the Kyuubi. The very next day, you perform _Shiki Fuujin._" He shook his head in disbelief, "I don't know how you pulled it off."

Minato nodded and sighed, "I would have liked to wait for you." He whispered, watching the boy's pale and horrified features with a worried frown. "As far as I'm concerned, you're my eldest son, you had the right to be there but we were so uncertain when or _if_ you were going to wake up. I couldn't delay it."

The younger blonde shook his head, "It's alright." He looked down at his younger self, watching the child smile at the air in front of him. "I'm just glad everything worked out in the end."

Minato sighed, leaning back in his chair, "Yes. Me too." He met his older son's eyes, "We realized that it would be best if your name was changed. I thought that something close to your original name would be comfortable to you. How does _Naruaki_ sound?"

The teenager looked at Yondaime in surprise before shaking his head, "Of course, I should've realized. Yes, I don't think it would be too hard to adjust to that. It does sound similar to Naruto. Besides, there would be a lot of confusion if we both had the same names." The newly christened Naruaki gestured towards baby Naruto and smirked, "The world is not big enough to hold two Naruto at the same time."

Minato and Jiraiya chuckled as Tsunade scoffed, "Well, that's settled. I've thought out a background story as well."

The ANBU raised a brow, "Background story?"

Yondaime nodded, "We can't tell the council or the villagers that you just traveled back in time, can we? And I can't say that you aren't related to me. Unfortunately, us Namikaze have very distinctive features and you look a lot like me." Minato looked into Narut- _Naruaki's_ eyes, "I'm going to tell them that you're my brother. My mother left Konoha somewhere around seventeen yeas ago. My parents' marriage failed and she left. I can tell them that she was pregnant when she left."

Naruaki frowned, "Yondaime-sama, you do realize that I'm eighteen years old and if she…"

Minato shook his head, "I know. You do not mind lying about your age, do you? No one will be able to tell the difference if you claim that you are sixteen instead of eighteen."

"That's true." Tsunade added, looking at Naruaki keenly, "Age isn't something that can be guessed at so accurately just by looking at a person, after all. A difference of two or three years wouldn't be noticeable."

The younger Namikaze tilted his head to the side in consideration. "I guess that shouldn't be a problem. And how to we explain it? They'd want to know how we got rid of Kyuubi."

"Before that," Tsunade interrupted, "We need to do something about the markings on your cheek. It's best to remove as many similarities between you and Naruto as possible. I can remove those markings if you agree."

Naruaki touched his cheek, caressing the marks that adorned his countenance. He had been born with him, he knew. They hadn't just appeared after Kyuubi was sealed into him. Still, he really didn't have any sentimental attachment to them.

He nodded to Tsunade, allowing her glowing hand to touch his cheeks and carefully remove those marks.

Minato observed the process curiously as he answered Naruaki's question, "This is where we get to twist the truth around a bit. I'm going to tell them that Kyuubi was heading towards Konoha and we decided to take preliminary action against it. Since Kyuubi appeared rather abruptly in the middle of the village, I guessing someone must have summoned it. We can explain that our preliminary actions failed because it was summoned directly."

Jiraiya and Tsunade nodded grimly in agreement.

Naruaki, however, didn't react. The Yondaime looked at the boy intently, "This is where you get credibility in Konoha. I'm going to say that you're the one who sealed away the Kyuubi (which is the truth). I'm also telling them that you almost died in the process (which is true as well)."

Naruaki sighed, running his fingers through his hair, "We have to tell them about Kyuubi being sealed in Naru-chan, do we?"

Minato looked thoughtful, "Not necessarily." He smirked a little, "You did a good job of hiding Naruto from prying eyes when you took him to the shrine." At Naruaki's questioning glance, he smirked, "You do know that sealing is an obscure line of study, right? There are hardly any Fuuin jutsu experts in Konoha. I know only three."

Naruaki raised a brow in surprise, "Only three? In my time, there was Nara Shikamaru, Kakashi-sensei, Jiraiya-sensei and four others that I don't know the names of. I was of the second highest grade amongst us, of course, since I could perform A-class and S-class seals."

Minato looked surprised, "Why, I guess Fuuin jutsu gained popularity." He shrugged, "By three, I mean, Jiraiya-sensei, you and I. There is one seal, the Soul Binding seal that _would_ have worked on Kyuubi but I didn't want to risk it…"

Naruaki shook his head, "The Soul binding seal is powerful; it calls a favor from Shinigami too but the consequences…" he grimaced, "If the caster isn't strong enough than he gets sent to hell to suffer eternal torment. That is _worse_ than Shinigami's stomach."

"Precisely." Minato said, "They don't know this and they'd never understand the intricacies of a seal as complex as that. If we tell them you were strong enough, mentally and spiritually, to successfully cast the seal, they'll have no choice but to believe it. The healers can vouch that you suffered from chakra exhaustion. Add to that, your nearly lethal injury and my own testimony, we'd have enough proof."

Naruaki's eyes widened, before he shook his head in disbelief, "That's quite a plan, Yondaime-sama."

"Yes, well, I had time to th-"

Minato was interrupted by Tsunade's stern glare, "Alright, since everything had been discussed and agreed upon, you need to leave. The brat needs his rest and he can't do that with you two morons trying to disturb him."

Jiraiya chuckled and lifted his baby godson from Minato's arms, "Come on Minato, she'd right."

The Yondaime nodded, sparing Naruaki a troubled glance before following Jiraiya out of the room.

The two powerful ninja walked in silence for a while before Jiraiya couldn't resist the chance to state his opinion. "He's rather formal and distant." He observed, glancing at Minato, "He addresses you as '_Yondaime-sama' _rather pointedly, doesn't he? And adding a '_san_' to Tsunade's name… that was almost awkward."

Minato looked a little disheartened but he smiled nonetheless, "He's deliberately trying to keep his distance. He's an orphan… doesn't know how to behave when he suddenly finds a father."

Jiraiya looked at his student shrewdly, "You aren't exactly ready to be a teenager's father either, Minato."

The Hokage sighed and bowed his head a little, "We need time… both of us need time."

The Gama-Sennin observed him for a long moment before nodding. "Ok."

* * *

Minato sighed, taking a small break to drink warm, refreshing tea after what turned out to be a horrendously harrowing day. Naruaki had been discharged from the hospital just a day after he woke up. While he son could go home and relax, Minato had to sit in his office and deal with paperwork. His ANBU had come, finally asking for an explanation and the Hunter nin had been with them. Kakashi too had wanted an explanation as well and he had been angry that Yondaime hadn't taken him with them.

Placating the ANBU and the Hunter nin was easy but Kakashi, with his fear of losing another member of his team, had been very upset.

Moreover, he also had to deal with Naruaki's tendency to drop cryptic comments without warning.

"_The Uchiha clan is a part of the village too; try to integrate them into the politics of Konoha before you regret alienating them._"

Yondaime rubbed the bridge of his nose. He had no problems integrating that clan into the village politics. The Uchiha were powerful and the police force was rather helpful in maintaining order in the village. He also knew that Shodaime and Nidaime had alienated them because of the rivalry between the Uchiha and the Senju clans. He knew that Sandaime had simply ignored the fact, not concerning himself with it.

However, Minato was not about to ignore his son's warning. Naruaki's comment implied that there could be a possible rebellion from the Uchiha clan. If that happened, it would shake the very foundation of Konoha. He needed to handle the matter delicately. The Uchiha clan head, Uchiha Fugaku was already the part of the council but his influence was meager at best. Compared to the power wielded by Hyuuga Hiashi, Fugaku's influence was nothing.

That bothered the Uchiha like nothing else, Minato was well aware of that.

Before Naruaki had arrived and Kyuubi had happened, Minato had been contemplating the situation with Homura, Koharu and Danzo. Their power in the council was unparalleled and that made Minato wary. They had been on the seat of power for too long. Being Sandaime's advisors, they tended to think of him as a child playing an adult's game. While Minato was bothered by their dismissive attitude, he was more concerned about the fact that the power was going to their heads.

They had become too confident and never hesitated to use the influence they had to further their own agendas. Moreover, Danzo was an active threat. Minato knew that he still coveted the position of the Kage.

He had an idea that would kill two birds with one stone. However, he wished to consult Naruaki first. His opinion on the matter would invaluable and he needed to do it fast since he had a meeting with the council in two hours' time.

Silently, he summoned an ANBU to the office, his mind still working out the details of his plan. He started to pen down a rough outline of what he planned to do but everything still seemed a bit sketchy to him. He really didn't want to consult Sandaime on the situation. For all his wisdom, the old Hokage was too much of a pacifist to deal with the situation accordingly.

"Hokage-sama." The ANBU saluted.

Minato nodded to him, appreciating the quick response. "Run an errand for me, would you?" He stated, looking up at the bird masked ANBU, "I need you to go to my house and ask my brother, Namikaze Naruaki, to come here as quickly as possible."

If the ANBU was confused by the sudden appearance of a brother that never existed before, he didn't show it. He simply bowed with a soft 'hai' and disappeared from sight. Minato turned his attention to a report before him, ignoring a stack of papers on the corner of the desk that needed to be read and signed.

He was pleased that Jiraiya had asked Tsunade to send him a detailed report on Naruaki's condition and treatments. If necessary, Minato would give it to the council as proof that the boy had truly sealed the Kyuubi. One didn't suffer such an extreme case of chakra exhaustion doing nothing, especially when Tsunade had specifically mentioned that Naruaki's chakra capacity was enormous.

Kyuubi was another matter altogether. Naruaki had been every solemn when he said it would be best if they started Naruto's training as early as possible. The boy had stated that the excuse they had come up with would work on the ignorant people of Konoha who knew nothing about seals.

"_It wouldn't work on people who know everything that there is to know about the Jinchuuriki and the Bijuu._" Naruaki had said.

"You look troubled."

Minato didn't even look up from the report, already having sensed Naruaki's arrival. "Sit down, there's something I need to discuss with you."

Naruaki raised a brow, "I thought that we were done with that."

Minato shook his head, "No. This is a different matter." He laced his fingers in front of his mouth and looked at his teenage son intently, "Before the Kyuubi came up, I was dealing with a problem."

"Problem?" Naruaki asked with a frown, crossing his legs and leaning back leisurely. He was hoping to get some sleep because he still felt a little weak. However, it seemed that sleep would have to wait.

"How much do you know about Homura, Koharu and Danzo?" Minato asked bluntly. He frowned when he noticed Naruaki's eyes flashing in rage but the boy brought it under his control quickly, his face once again revealing nothing about his thoughts.

Cupping his face with one hand in a rather nonchalant gesture, the younger Namikaze finally responded, "I know many things." He said softly, "Why do you ask?"

"Well, do you know that all three of them have been in power ever since Sandaime Hokage took over? They're the true council." Minato asked and Naruaki nodded, looking faintly puzzled, "Over the years, their power has been growing and their influence over the general council is getting stronger. Now, that wouldn't have been a problem but…"

"But they are misusing that power." Naruaki finished for him, "You want to do something to curb their power?"

Minato nodded, "I've come up with a plan but I wanted to discuss it with you since you made a comment on the Uchiha clan this morning." At his son's narrowed eyes, he waved his hand in assurance, "I'm not going to ask you for any details. I know you'll tell me what I need to know if you think it's wise to do so. I trust you with this. I just want to make sure that my actions do not have any adverse effects."

"I'm hardly the person to ask anything related to Konoha politics." Naruaki stated softly, "I just know how to follow orders and get the work done; I can't see how I can be of any help."

"Don't take me for a fool." Minato said with narrowed eyes, "Did you think I wouldn't notice?" He asked with a raised brow.

"Notice?" Naruaki questioned, somewhat surprised by the curt tone his father was using.

Minato scowled, "When you first arrived here, you were in a uniform." His eyes roamed over Naruto, taking in the casual leaf green turtleneck sweater and blue jeans, "I saw you wearing the Captain's white cloak but that wasn't the only thing I saw." He gestured towards Naruaki's covered arm, "I saw the faint silver lining that your ANBU tattoo had. You were one of the Hokage's highest ranking ANBU; you were the General of the ANBU forces." Naruaki's eyes widened while Minato shook his head in slight disbelief, "I don't know how you managed to get that rank at such a young age and I won't ask. There's something very suspicious about it but I trust you'll tell me when you feel you can."

The boy tilted his head to the side, watching Yondaime with narrowed eyes before he sighed softly, "Alright, I concede. What's the plan?"

Minato nodded, relaxing, "You must know the village council consists of Heads of all ninja families. Therefore, the general council is very large and the distribution of power between them, unequal. Danzo, Koharu and Homura have the most influence because they are my personal council. I was thinking that I need something to check their power."

Naruaki raised a brow, "And how do you think you can do that?"

"I would be removing them from their position and appointing a new advisory body instead. The members would remain on the body for five years before a new group is selected. Those who are selected once will have to wait ten years before they are taken into consideration for the post once again. I think that would work to curb the concentration of power. The advisory body will check my power and the constant rotation will check theirs. I had already procured the Daimyo's permission for this."

Naruaki's brows shot up in surprise, "That is quite a sound plan. So all members of the general council get a chance to be in power and be a part of the Hokage's council?"

Minato nodded, "Yes, however, the body won't just contain the members of the council. It'll have five members. One council member that I select, one member that the council selects, the ANBU General, the General of the Hunter nin and a civilian representative. The only members of the body that will be able to stay for more than five years would be the Generals; they will stay as long as they hold their positions in the ANBU."

Naruaki nodded thoughtfully, "Including the ANBU and the Oinin is a very good idea. ANBU are very loyal and the Oinin are well aware of what goes on outside the village. They'll be of great assistance when it comes to negotiations. I suggest that for civilian representative, you chose one of the full-time doctors of Konoha hospital for the first round. They aren't ninja since they're purely in the medical field but they're used to dealing with ninja and the civilians both. They're likely to be more understanding of the workings of the village and more loyal to you than an ordinary civilian would be."

Minato tilted his head to the side, a frown of confusion marring his features, "A doctor?"

Naruaki smirked, "Since they're exposed to ninja in their most fragile states, they don't think of us as higher beings. Moreover, we don't easily intimidate them either. Using their skills with chakra manipulation, they can possibly disable some of the threats to their lives though they may not be as skilled in fighting as the Medic nin are. In addition, they're in contact with civilians on a regular basis and quite aware of their problems." He leaned forward, blue eyes glittering cunningly, "Don't, for even a single moment, think that Danzo wouldn't try to buy support in this new body. I think if this plan is implemented, the one representative selected by the council from amongst themselves, will most likely be in Danzo's pocket. The civilian representative would be the weak link that he _will_ exploit, if not by money then by fear. A doctor, who is paid almost as well as a full-fledged ANBU captain is paid, won't be too tempted by money nor will he be intimidated by ninja easily."

Minato looked at Naruaki with wide eyes as he explained. "Moreover, doctors will look at aspects that a ninja would ignore. Things like education of civilians who aren't interested in becoming a ninja, the health and well-being of the village, the infrastructure, the proper functioning of the hospital, directing proper funds to the science and research facilities and such. These are important factors that matter to civilians while _we_ only concentrate on bringing in income and providing security."

Minato leaned back, feeling rather blown away by Naruaki's insight. He nodded in acceptance, promising to himself that he would look into the potential candidates amongst the permanent medical staff in the Konoha hospital.

Naruaki looking questioningly at Minato, his sharp eyes narrowed, "Am I correct in assuming that you're contemplating selecting Uchiha Fugaku as the representative of your choice from the council?"

Yondaime nodded, "I've nothing against the Uchiha and since you mentioned in the morning about it, I've been thinking. The Uchiha do have a rather dubious reputation amongst the ninja even if the civilians are very fond of them. If you meant to imply what I think you did," he looked at Naruaki pointedly, who simply raised a brow in response, "I think bringing the Uchiha into a position of power now would be a good move. Besides, he is the head of the police force. He'd be a good addition. He knows what goes on in the village well and Fugaku is almost as shrewd a man as Hyuuga Hiashi is."

Naruaki nodded in understanding before frowning suddenly, "Speaking of the Uchiha… how old is Uchiha Itachi right now?"

Minato looked at him in confusion at the abrupt question, "Five, I think…" he trailed of uncertainly, "Is there a reason why you ask?"

Naruaki grimaced, crystal blue eyes conflicted, "A damn good reason." He murmured to himself but Yondaime heard it nonetheless. "That idiot." Naruaki whispered closing his eyes and leaning back. He still recalled the time when he had confronted Sasuke. The last time he had met his best friend and rival before Danzo had him killed.

**xox**

"_Sasuke! What the hell do you think you are doing!" Naruto called out, his heart beating loudly in his chest as he saw the Uchiha point his blade at Utatane Koharu. _

"_Stay out of this." Sasuke hissed, his voice tight with rage and Naruto nearly faltered. Dashing forward quickly, he used all the speed he had to catch Sasuke in a joint-lock. "Naruto…" Sasuke growled in warning._

_Naruto narrowed his eyes at Koharu as she looked at Sasuke with an impassive expression on her face. She believed that Naruto would protect her at all costs, which wasn't far from the truth. As far as Naruto was concerned, Sasuke was the traitor and Koharu was the member of the council. "Utatane-sama, please leave." Naruto ordered but with respect. He tone was cold and professional as he tightened his hold, gritting his teeth. She nodded and left instantly, causing Sasuke to pale in anger._

_Naruto kicked Sasuke's fallen sword away from them, pumping chakra into his arms to ensure that they were strong enough to contain Sasuke. "What are you up to, teme?" Naruto growled, "You killed Itachi, there's still a chance that you may get pardoned. Come back to the village."_

_The Uchiha stiffened and Naruto let out a cry of pain, electric shocks causing him to stumble and fall to his knees. _

"_Pardoned?" Sasuke asked, his voice low and dangerous. Naruto struggled to contain the shaking of his body and he shook his head to clear the buzz in his ears. "You think I want to be pardoned?" he asked as he picked up his sword, letting the sharp edge of it settle on the fragile skin on Naruto's neck with an icy sneer. "You don't know anything."_

"_Then tell me what I need to know!" Naruto stated, frustrated, looking up at Sasuke. "Tell me why you're here, supporting the __**Akatsuki**__, letting it destroy our village! How can you hate Konoha so much?"_

_Sasuke snorted before turning about, walking away from him. _

"_Itachi was right." The Uchiha paused, narrowing his eyes. "He asked me if I would be able to choose between you and Konoha…" Sasuke turned around, "I told him that I would save both. He seemed pleased then… why would he?" Naruto asked, almost to himself. "Why," he looked up, locking his eyes with Sasuke, "Unless there's something else about him that I don't know… something that made you look at Koharu with such hate in your eyes… Tell me Sasuke, what did Konoha do?"_

_Sasuke lips curled into a grim smirk, "You really want to know?" he stepped forward, the sheer malice in his eyes causing Naruto's eyes to widen, "Do you? You, who thinks the world of Konoha and its people and respects it… would you like to know how despicable that village is?"_

_Naruto straightened, looking serious, "Don't make assumptions, Sasuke. I have seen Konoha at its worst. I have seen the capacity for cruelty that its people have."_

_Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "What if I told you that Itachi was ordered to kill my clan by Homura, Koharu and Danzo?" he said, smirking in cruel amusement as Naruto's eyes widened. "What if I told you," he took a step forward, "that Itachi loved Konoha so much that he gave up his entire family for it… killed his entire family for it?" He stepped forward again, his eyes peering deep into Naruto's, jaded black piercing clouded blue, "What if I told you that he loved __**me**__ so much that he couldn't kill me, despite the orders? That he let me believe that he was a criminal, making sure that I was strong enough to kill him with my own hands so that he could pay for his sins."_

"_What sins, huh?" He asked roughly, "What sins had my brother committed Naruto? Do you have the answer to that?"_

"_Sasuke…" Naruto whispered, conflicted. That was something he had not expected. _

"_You claim that you're my best friend, you claimed that you thought of us as brothers." Sasuke stated, sheathing his sword, "You told Itachi that you'd save both Konoha and I. I am asking you Naruto, between me and those corrupt, heartless bastards, who would you choose?"_

_Naruto winced, closing his eyes. _

_Sasuke snorted, "You are just like him." He stated bitterly, "Just like Itachi, just like your __**father.**__ Just as Itachi couldn't kill me, you can't. You won't. And just as your father gave up his life for Konoha, you would. Without a moment of hesitation, you would." _

_Naruto flinched, "I chased after Itachi for years, thinking he was a traitor. You chased after me for years, knowing I am one. I was able to kill him," his lips curled into a grim smirk, "will you be able to kill me?"_

_Naruto paled and Sasuke's smirk sharpened, "I guess not. Being brothers isn't that great, is it?" He winced and looked up. Sasuke was standing in front of him, poking Naruto's forehead with two fingers, "Sorry, I've something important to do." The Uchiha whispered as he gathered chakra, "Maybe next time you can try, alright…?"_

_Naruto jerked, falling to his knees as he succumbed to the pain. The last thing he saw as his consciousness faded was Sasuke standing over him with a serious look on his face._

"_Next time, I promise…"_

"…_uto" _

**Xox**

Naruaki's eyes darkened at the memory and he combed his fingers through his hair, pulling the strands harshly to distract himself from the pain of those memories.

'_Sasuke never got a chance to keep that promise, did he? Danzo took it from him, Danzo had him killed._'

"Naruaki? Are you alright?" the younger Namikaze shook his head to clear his thoughts and looked up, "Is there something wrong? With Uchiha Itachi?"

Naruaki laughed, a heavy, hollow sound before waving his hand dismissively. "Forget it. That's something I'll deal with personally." He whispered roughly before standing up, "Forgive me," he shook his head, massaging the bridge of his nose, "I have a headache."

"Nar…"

"You can deal with this." The young ANBU interrupted softly, "The rest can wait."

"You need to be present at the council meeti…"

"The rest can _wait!_" he hissed but flinched instantly in regret. "Father," he whispered stiffly as he pressed the heel of his palm against his temple, "Please, let me go."

Minato narrowed his eyes in concern before sighing, "Alright." He whispered, "Go get some rest, okay? I can't excuse you from the council meeting so you have about an hour and a half of rest before it starts."

Naruaki nodded curtly before disappearing from sight.

Minato groaned softly, feeling tension ease from his body. His son's presence could be very oppressive at times. Sometimes he felt he understood what Naruaki's general character was like but then the boy would do something that threw that analysis out the window.

Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to his work. Naruaki was a dilemma he would solve in his free time. With practice that came from months of being the Hokage, Minato wrote down the formal version of his plans on paper. He was careful with each word, making sure to frame the proposal in such a manner that it couldn't be misinterpreted. He knew that the Council would have no problem passing the bill. The only people likely to object will be the people who were being dismissed from their positions.

That is, Danzo, Homura and Koharu.

A small smirk graced his lips. He had been right to be wary of Danzo. Naruaki's words implied that he was a man to watch.

Minato had every intention of watching him.

* * *

Uchiha Mikoto cooed softly at the babies in front of her. Sasuke seemed a little restless so she thought that some fresh air would do him some good. Since she couldn't leave the Hokage's son behind, she had brought him along. Besides, the park was a good place for children. Sasuke was looking at everything with his adorably wide, black eyes while Naruto seemed content to simply yawn and stare at the clouds.

"Mother," Mikoto looked down at Itachi, watching as her eldest allowed Sasuke to hold onto his finger, "Why are we here?"

Mikoto smiled lovingly at her solemn child, combing her fingers through his hair, "I thought both Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun could use some fresh air." She poked him in the forehead, "And you too. Besides, your little brother would like to send a little time with his onii-san." She looked at Naruto, who was now looking at her with his endless blue eyes and wriggled her fingers at him, "You like it here, don't you Naruto-kun." A cute yawn was her only answer and she giggled.

Looking at the Hokage's son, she felt pity rising in her chest. He was such a cute little baby with such beautiful blue eyes and the soft blonde hair. Kushina would have cherished him. Reaching forward, she caressed his cheek tenderly, "I bet she misses you a lot, up in heaven." She whispered, "I bet she is watching over you right now, like all mothers watch over their children."

"Mother." Itachi asked for her attention again and she looked at him in question. He pointed at someone, "Isn't that Yondaime-sama's brother?"

Mikoto looked at the man who was walking in a leisurely manner with a frown. She had only seen Yondaime's brother when he was unconscious in the hospital. Yondaime had called her there to ask her if she could take care of his son while the poor man was busy arranging his wife's funeral.

At first, she had assumed that Itachi had made a mistake but then she realized that she had underestimated the length of his hair when she saw him in the hospital. Moreover, he wasn't quite as pale as she had first thought. Tall and lean, it was a surprise that she _had not _considered him Yondaime's brother at first glance. They looked startlingly alike.

"Namikaze-san!" she called out, relieved that at least Yondaime wouldn't need to worry about his brother's wellbeing.

She watched as he turned to look at her, before nodding and walking towards them. Mikoto smiled, "Hello, My name is Uchiha Mikoto, I am taking care of your nephew," she gestured towards Naruto, "How are you feeling, Namikaze-san?"

The man in front inclined his head at her gracefully, "Better, thank you for asking." She watched as his cool, blue eyes glanced at Sasuke and then at Itachi. His lips curled into a small smirk at the sight of her children but his eyes flashed with some emotion that she couldn't understand. "And who are Naru-chan's new friends?" he asked softly.

She smiled; it would be wonderful if these three children really did grow up to be good friends. She placed a hand of her eldest son's shoulder, "This is my eldest son, Itachi and this," she gestured towards a curious Sasuke, "That is my youngest, Sasuke."

Naruaki knelt in front of the stroller that was carrying Sasuke and waved at the child, "Hello, Suke-chan." He murmured, smirking at the irony of it all. Sasuke would have strangled him gleefully if he ever dared to call him that to his face. He turned to face Itachi and knew instantly that treating this boy like a child would be the gravest insult to him. He nodded gracefully, his eyes serious and respectful, "Hello Itachi-kun."

Those intense black eyes looked at him. "Hello Namikaze-san." He replied and Naruaki was faintly surprised to hear the childish voice coming from him. He had almost expected the older Itachi's smooth, low voice. He studied the child for a while and he was sure that Uchiha Mikoto was quite unnerved to see him watching her oldest son so intently.

He glanced at her, finding her biting her lip in uncertainty and smiled wryly, "This boy has seen the war, hasn't he?" he asked, his voice soft. He could see it now, those eyes that were filled with a certain measure of weariness. This child knew what their world was really like.

Mikoto smiled sadly. Yondaime's brother was very insightful if it took just one look for him to realize that. Itachi had grown up fast, as all children of the war do and he managed to unnerve a great number of people. However, Itachi was _special_. She knew that her son had a brilliant mind and that only contributed to the psychological impact that war had on him. "Yes." She whispered in confirmation, placing a hand on Itachi's head lovingly, "He has."

The Namikaze stood and looked down at Itachi, his serious blue eyes penetrating her son's ebony. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Itachi-kun." He stated. Something in his voice and in his eyes caused Itachi to stand up straight. There was a flash of deep respect in Itachi's gaze that caught Mikoto off-guard. She watched, surprised, as her son responded with a bow that was slightly deeper than what he gave to everyone else. It was a small gesture; something only she would be able to notice in a son but the manner in which Naruaki's eyes sharpened told her he had perceived it too.

The Namikaze smiled then, breathtaking and full of wisdom. It was then she understood a part of what was going on.

Yondaime's brother was someone who _understood_ Itachi. Understood him in a way that no one else had tried to and he had managed to convey that to Itachi in one single glance.

Mikoto didn't know how to feel about that but she decided that she would keep that observation to herself.

He turned to look at her, a familiar grin that she had seen so often on Yondaime's face, gracing his handsome features. "I am sorry that I can't take Naruto off your hands for now, Uchiha-san." He glanced at his wristwatch, "I have only about an hour before I accompany Yondaime-sama to a meeting with the council."

Mikoto frowned at the manner in which he addressed his brother, slightly confused by the formality but she didn't think much of it. Shaking her head with a smile, she replied, "It's alright. Naruto-kun isn't a bother at all."

He nodded to her, glancing at his watch again, "Ah, you do not mind if I leave your company early, do you?" he asked with a slight frown, "I've been ordered by Hokage-sama to take rest before the meeting." He graced her with a rather disarming smile, "I tend to be a little irritable if I'm tired."

She shook her head, "Not at all. You must still be recovering from your chakra exhaustion, after all." She returned his smile timidly, "I do hope you get well soon, Namikaze-san."

He nodded at her gratefully before leaning down and caressing his supposed nephew's cheek with a fond smile, "Behave, alright? Don't give Uchiha-san any trouble." He turned toward the youngest Uchiha and his smile turned amused, "I'll see you later, Suke-chan." He smirked when Sasuke reached out to grab his fingers, giggling. Associating Sasuke with the word _giggle_ just cracked him up. Inside his head, he was laughing his ass off.

Chuckling lightly under his breath, he turned towards Itachi and titled his head slightly in acknowledgement, keeping his eyes locked with the prodigy. "Itachi-kun."

Itachi nodded in return, "Namikaze-san."

With a slight smile, Naruaki walked away, his hair swaying behind him with each step.

Mikoto watched, somewhat puzzled and faintly worried as Itachi's eyes followed the man until he was out of sight. Namikaze Naruaki had unnerved her. His presence was rather intimidating despite the fact that his smile was friendly and his grin just as carefree as Yondaime's was. It was his eyes perhaps, which seemed to glow knowingly. Or perhaps it was the fact that he treated Itachi like he would treat an adult, expecting him to understand the subtleties of silent conversations.

Perhaps it was the fact that Itachi's eyes held deep respect for a man he had hardly exchanged four words with. The way her child's eyes gleamed with intrigue and the desire to know, it had been puzzling.

Something told her that that man's presence in Itachi's life would change him forever. She just couldn't recognize if it would be for better or for worse.

"Itachi-kun," she called softly, looking down at her son, "what do you think of Namikaze-san?"

Itachi shrugged, "He is alright."

Mikoto frowned, that was a rather nonchalant response and Itachi's keenly focused eyes betrayed it. Her son, for all his brilliance, had not yet learned how to hide his emotions from others. She could read him well, almost too well. Whatever Namikaze Naruaki did, it managed to catch Itachi's attention.

What sort relationship would develop between them from now on was the question she had no answers to.

If she had caught sight of the cunning smirk that formed on Naruaki's lips as he walked away from them, she would have been even more cautious of the Hokage's brother.

* * *

Naruaki skillfully placed himself in the shadows, carefully observing each and very person present in the room. Danzo, of course, held most of his attention. He knew that had he been visible, the hatred in his eyes would probably have made the old man suspicious.

Sitting with Danzo, Koharu and Homura was Sandaime. He found it odd that the former Hokage would sit with them even though he clearly did not agree with their point of view on many things. He supposed that Sandaime was so used to relying on them that he thought of himself as a part of their group.

Surprisingly, Uchiha Fugaku sat alongside Hyuuga Hiashi. Both of them looking noble and powerful. Naruaki didn't know what to feel about the two men. He _hated_ people who wished to play God with other people's lives and the six powerful individuals he was looking at tended to do that a lot.

He was under no delusions. Sandaime did it. _His father_ did it too. He had been a tool far too often in his life. For his father, for Sandaime, for Kyuubi, for Danzo… the list just went on.

He hated it but it was inevitable.

Absently, he looked at every other member of the council. He recognized some faces; some of them were vaguely familiar and some he couldn't place at all. His father was sitting at the head of the table, frowning in thought as he waited for the last of the members to settle down.

As soon as they did, Homura decided to speak. "Yondaime-sama," he started, "It has been a week now since your unexplained order to evacuate the civilians and place all ninja on standby and then the abrupt attack of Kyuubi. From what we have discovered, you were well prepared for that attack. We'd like an explanation."

Minato looked up before leaning back in his seat. He portrayed the same nonchalance that Naruaki used so expertly, observing everything with half-lidded blue eyes. "There was a threat approaching Konoha as you well know." He stated in a slight drawl.

Naruaki raised a brow at his father's behavior. He was portraying an image of superiority, as though reminding the council that he was the _Hokage_ and they were just his _advisors._ He found such behavior odd but he did not question it. Minato knew what he was doing, he was no fool.

"And how did you know of the threat?" Danzo asked, forever ready to question Minato's actions. "How did you know that the Kyuubi would attack?"

"Our scouts had spotted it heading towards our village. That day, however, it was summoned directly to Konoha proper."

There was a sharp intake of breath from everyone. Even Danzo looked very unnerved at the prospect of having a bijuu having been summoned to Konoha. Koharu was the first to speak after the announcement, looking at the Hokage with her keen eyes, "What happened?"

Suddenly, the dam broke, everyone started asking questions. Their voices were loud, echoing in the chamber and grating on Minato's nerves. The only people who kept silent were Danzo, Uchiha and Nara. The rest were shaken, disbelieving, demanding answers.

Minato narrowed his eyes before raising his hands to clap once, sharply and deafeningly.

Immediately, everyone fell silent. The Hokage made a vague gesture and Naruaki instantly understood the signal. Silently, he stepped forward, revealing himself to everyone present.

He watched as they followed his progress with baffled eyes until he stood just by his father, looking at them with his calculating blue eyes. The most perceptive amongst the council were looking at Yondaime and him, seeing the resemblance but not understanding it. Others were just confused, unaware of his identity.

"This," Minato gestured towards him, "is Namikaze Naruaki, my younger brother."

The room exploded in chaos once again, causing Naruaki to grimace slightly while his father hissed in irritation. "Let us not forget ourselves and start acting like five year old children!" Hyuuga Hiashi snapped, his deep voice cutting through the noise easily silencing everyone.

Minato nodded in gratitude towards the Hyuuga before looking at everyone in front of him with his chilling blue eyes. "Yes. He is my younger brother. Jiraiya-sensei accidentally stumbled upon him in during his travels. He had been attacked by rogue Iwa-nin because they found out that he was related to me."

All of them turned to Naruaki and he simply raised a brow, unfazed by their attention. It was very clear that all of them where skeptical at the flimsy explanation.

"Hokage-sama, if I may ask a question?" Hiashi requested politely and Minato nodded in consent, "Is there a particular reason why you didn't tell us that you had a brother?"

Minato's eyes narrowed and he leaned back in his seat, "You weren't informed because _I,_ myself, didn't know that I had a brother. Nor did he," he gestured towards Naruaki, "for that matter."

Nara Shikaku kept his intelligent eyes trained on Naruaki, "The resemblance between the two of you is quite telling, Hokage-sama, however, if you didn't know that he existed, how did Stone?"

Minato sighed and looked at Naruaki. The younger Namikaze scowled faintly before speaking, "My mother passed away quite sometime ago. You must be aware that she was an Iwa-nin?"

He got several nods in response and folded his arms casually, "She was pregnant with me when she felt Konoha. She wished to be accepted back into Iwagakure but was soundly refused. They were aware that she was with a child; however, since the Namikaze clan doesn't have a bloodline, they didn't consider her important. We settled in a small town in Cha no Kuni and that is where I stayed for a while. When I was six, a seal master who had no apprentice to pass his skills onto, chose me and I left my mother's home to travel with him. She never told me who my father was and I had never seen Yondaime-sama personally to make any connections between our looks."

He tilted his head to the side, amused by the distrustful looks he was getting and the calculating stare of some. "The rogue ninja that attacked me didn't seem as though they were searching for me. I'm assuming that they were looking to steal my supplies."

He murmured thoughtfully, inwardly smirking at his own acting skills. "The stumbled upon me just as Jiraiya-sama did." He shot his father an amused look, "Whether they really felt that I'm Yondaime-sama's brother or not, I'm uncertain. They seemed to be troubled by my resemblance to him. They chose to attack him, either way." He frowned a little, "Whilst I would consider myself a fairly skilled Fuuin Jutsu master, I'm not so competent when it comes to other skills."

It was Minato's turn to be amused. '_You're a liar of the highest order, my dear son._' He thought to himself.

While most of the council seemed to buy that statement, Uchiha, Hyuuga and Nara seemed somewhat skeptical. Minato assumed that they were aware that Fuuin jutsu specialists could be devastating if they wished to be. Seals could be used for many different purposes, after all.

"Jiraiya-sama assisted me. He knew who I was when I told him my name since I was using my mother's family name at the time. He brought me here so I could be treated and meet my brother. I asked Yondaime-sama if I was allowed to use our father's family name and he agreed so I am Namikaze Naruaki."

"That's all well and good." Danzo stated bluntly, "However, you seem to be forgetting the matter at hand, Yondaime-sama. What happened to the Kyuubi?"

Everyone looked curious once again, their attention shifting from Naruaki to Minato. The Hokage grimaced. This was the difficult part of their cover. "I was aware that Kyuubi was heading this way days before it actually did." He said grimly, ignoring the indignant glances he got from his council. "I was looking for a solution to safely defeat it before it could come close to our borders. For a while, I had to ignore Naruaki's arrival however when Kyuubi started getting too close for comfort, I decided to act. While I was hunting for a solution, Naruaki came to visit me and caught sight of the seals I was studying. As a seal master, he is quite competent and there are a few seals that he knows that I'm not aware of."

They turned their attention towards Naruaki, looking skeptical. "I decided to help. We had planned to meet the Kyuubi before it could come too close to the borders. I was trying to decide upon the safest sealing method possible. Both of us wished to avoid the prospect of a Jinchuuriki."

Yondaime struggled to keep his expression neutral at that blunt admission. He had never imagined that Naruaki would come right out and say it.

"There was no need for that." Danzo said, "The only village that lacks a Jinchuuriki is Konoha. You should have taken this opportunity to secure a Jinchuuriki for us, Minato. That would've been a powerful weapon in our arsenal."

Many of the council members were looking at Danzo as though he had lost his mind.

Minato leveled a freezing stare at Danzo, "The risks involved in that far outweigh the benefits, Danzo. I have no desire to commit the same inhumane mistakes that other villages have."

Naruaki scowled, "I agree with Yondaime-sama." He met Danzo's gaze stoically, arching a brow in blatant disregard to his political prowess. "Unfortunately, Kyuubi seemed to have been summoned directly to the village. Whatever precautions we had hoped to take couldn't be implemented in such a short time."

"According to reports," Uchiha Fugaku informed, "There were virtually no civilian casualties and very few ninja casualties. You did well, Hokage-sama, considering the situation."

Yondaime nodded his head in acceptance of the compliment.

"I'm assuming that the bijuu was sealed away." Hyuuga Hiashi asked, "You had Namikaze-san seal it away?"

Yondaime nodded, "We wouldn't have been able to stand up against it despite the strength of our numbers. Naruaki performed a high-risk seal to seal it away."

Danzo looked interested, glancing at Naruaki in question, "And which seal was that?"

The young Namikaze tilted his head to the side, answering in a flat tone that seemed to insult Danzo's intelligence. "The Soul Seal, I won't bore you with the details. Suffice to say, it worked, since we are not minced meat."

Minato narrowed his eyes in reprimand at his son. He didn't understand why his son was subtly trying to provoke Danzo. "As Naruaki says, the Soul Seal worked but it was very risky to attempt it. Had it failed, its consequences for Naruaki would have been devastating. Had he failed, I would have performed a seal to imprison Kyuubi but I didn't wish to take that chance. I didn't wish for it to come back for revenge." He sighed, "As it is, Naruaki's chakra had been severally depleted and he slipped into a coma for a week because of it." He looked pointedly at Danzo, "That's the reason why, Danzo-san, I delayed explaining my actions to you since I couldn't possibly explain it properly without his assistance."

Everyone fell silent, contemplating the information. When there were no questions voiced, he continued. "The details about the seal and a formal report of the situation will be given to you when I have time to write it." He stated easily, "However, there is another matter that I wished to discuss with you."

Minato turned to Hiashi, knowing that his son's accessing eyes were on him. "Hyuuga-san, could you indulge me and tell me what the purpose of the council is?"

Hiashi raised a brow in question before answered nonetheless, "It acts as an advisory body to the Hokage. The Kage must discuss important matters with a full general council before he can act. In the times of war, the council has no power at all but during times of peace, the council can act as a check on the actions of the Hokage to ensure that his actions do not cause harm to Konoha and its people."

Minato nodded, "Thank you very much, Hyuuga-san." He smirked sharply, causing everyone in the room to tense, "Another question, if you please?" He asked Hiashi and got a nod in reply, "What is the purpose of the personal council?" he gestured towards Koharu, Homura and Danzo. They tensed, visibly nervous.

Hiashi glanced at them, his eyes narrowed, wondering if they had done something to upset the Hokage. "Their role is to act as the representatives of the full council since the council cannot be called to meet on every matter that arises. They are to advice the Hokage and check his actions. All three of them together can also overrule the Hokage's vote on matters if they feel that he isn't acting in the benefit of the village. They also form the leaders of the general council."

Minato nodded once again before turning to Uchiha Fugaku, "Uchiha-san, a question for you, if you please?" Fugaku nodded, looking quite baffled. "Do you feel that the civilians are well represented in the council?"

The Uchiha looked at the people present in the room and raised his brow, "I cannot honestly say that, Hokage-sama. There are no civilians here."

Minato nodded, "And, according to the helpful facts stated by Hyuuga-san, can you tell me what checks the power of the Hokage's personal advisors?"

Fugaku frowned in thought, going over everything he knew about it. "The Hokage can check their actions if they act individually but when together, they can only be checked by the full council. However, considering the influence over the council…"

Minato grinned sharply, he was starting to like Fugaku. "Precisely."

"What are you up to, Minato?" Sandaime's stern eyes narrowed at him. He could see that Minato was trying to stir trouble. It could possibly agitate the peace in the council and cause unrest.

Minato, while never the one to show disrespect, met his predecessor's gaze with his own icy eyes. "Changing some things, Sandaime-sama." He stated bluntly, much to the astonishment of the people present. Yondaime gestured his secretary to distribute the files he had prepared.

"With Daimyo-sama's permission, I have decided to dissolve the personal advisory body. Danzo, Koharu and Homura are no longer my personal advisors."

The three purpled in rage, "You have no authority to do this!" Danzo hissed, "You need our approval for this."

"Let me correct you." Minato stated with narrowed eyes, "I do not need _your_ approval; I need the entire council's approval. What I am going to propose is a better solution and doesn't allow for concentration of power or corruption." The Hokage stated smoothly, silencing everyone.

"I see." Everyone turned to Nara Shikaku who was reading the file in interest, "I see your point, Hokage-sama. In fact, this is quite ingenious."

Everyone turned to the files and started reading. Danzo, Koharu and Homura paled when realized it meant. There was no way that the council would not approve the new law. It was fair and it allowed everyone to be in a position of power in turns. Moreover, it was an efficient check on the Hokage's power as well.

"I must agree with Nara-san." Hiashi stated thoughtfully, "I don't see any problems with this."

Minato sat there silently for nearly forty minutes as they read and considered his proposal.

When he saw that every one had finished reading, he smiled. "Shall we put this to vote then?" he got nods of approval and resisted the urge to grin in triumph. He didn't want to give the three most adversely affected by the move the time to gather support in the council. "All those who agree, please raise their hands."

Several hands went up, including Sandaime's. The old Hokage was smiling at Minato proudly. It was a clear majority but Minato still indulged them, "Those who disagree, please raise your hands." Minato would have snickered if he were not in front of his council. They were only six hands out of the twenty or so that had voted.

"Then I shall consider this motion passed." Minato smirked, "You have a week to select a representative amongst yourselves. Please choose a person you think would be the most appropriate." He looked at everyone seriously, "The Generals of the Oinin and ANBU forces will be informed soon and I'll select a civilian representative within a week as well." He looked at Fugaku, "I have selected Uchiha Fugaku-san to be one of the two representatives of the council in the new advisory body." He smirked at Fugaku's stunned expression, "That is, of course, if you don't mind, Uchiha-san."

Fugaku quickly regained his composure and bowed formally, "It would be an honor, Yondaime-sama."

Minato nodded, "Good. Three members of the advisory body have been selected and two more are left. We will reconvene in a week and finalize everything. If you have any questions, please ask. We need to…"

Naruaki, who slipped into the shadows as soon everyone was distracted, smirked as the older Namikaze started to address the questions of the council members. Yondaime was truly cunning. The manner in which he hurried things along, using the allure of power to trick everyone ensured that Danzo had no room to make a move. He knew that if he let them think about it for a long time, Danzo and the other two would try to persuade the members of the council to disagree with Minato's proposal. Normally, when the Hokage put forth such a big proposal, he usually allowed the council over a week or so to decide over the matter.

'_Good work, Yondaime-sama._' Naruaki thought to himself as his eyes landed on the fuming Danzo, '_He will not take this lying down. But for now-_' Naruaki smirked sharply, '_Namikaze = 1, Danzo = 0. _'


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: Guardian of Fire.**

**Author: Agni**

**Summary: Starting over is never easy. Creating a new identity, facing different challenges isn't easy at all. Naruto must face all this because he must correct the mistakes of the present by traveling to the past. **

**Warnings: AU, Time travel, a bit of OOC but not too much. **

**Pairings: I have decided that I let the story take its course and see what pairings are the most suitable. As far as I can see, romance of any kind will not be happening for a long time so it is better to let this story continue and see what pairings are suited when the right time comes. **

**AN: A long chapter but it feels a bit off or should I say awkward? I don't know, I have tried rewriting it and all but there seems to be something missing. I decided to publish it anyway. Looking forward to your opinions. Read and Enjoy!**

**Chapter Rewrite Date: April 13, 2011**

* * *

**_Three_**

* * *

The house was silent with Sasuke sleeping in his crib and Itachi was out training somewhere. Mikoto sat in front of Fugaku, stunned by the news that her husband had just given her. "What does this mean, Fugaku?" She asked softly, sitting back and observing him.

Fugaku took a sip of her tea with a frown, "Honestly, I don't know." He shook his head, "It sounds like it's a powerful position to be in, Mikoto. He selected me to be one of his personal advisors." The Uchiha looked at her, his eyes narrowed in thought, "After the council was dismissed, Yondaime requested to have a private meeting with me. He said that he selected me because I was a good choice. As the head of the police department, I know what goes on within the village better than most. He also said that since I rarely have to go out of the village on missions, I'd be easily accessable to him when he needs me."

Mikoto nodded, "It does make sense. However, why didn't he select the Hyuuga?"

Fugaku sneered at the mention of his rival before looking down at the cooling cup of tea in front of him, "Yondaime says that the very purpose of the new system was the avoid concentration of power in the hands of a few. He feels that Hyuuga is already very influential in the council and selecting him wouldn't be a wise move. He selected me because he thinks that I'm just as capable as Hyuuga, if only less likely to let that power get to my head."

Mikoto giggled, "He actually said that?"

Fugaku smirked, "We all know that Yondaime-sama can be a bit too casual sometimes. But…" he frowned, "I understand what he's trying to do." He crossed his fingers in front of his mouth and looked at his wife thoughtfully, "Somehow I get the feeling that there is more at play here, Mikoto. Something to do with that swine, Danzo." He scowled, "The way that man was bristling when the motion was passed was a bit alarming, I must say."

Mikoto looking at him in concern, "You don't think that he's planning something do you? You know that he didn't support Sandaime nor does he support Yondaime. He won't be planning a coup, would he?"

Fugaku shrugged, "I don't know. I've told some of our spies to keep an eye on him. However, I know that Yondaime-sama is ready for him. I think this whole motion was passed to take power away from the three advisors."

Mikoto nodded, "It seems so."

There was a long moment of silence between them before Fugaku paused in drinking his tea, "Another interesting thing happened." He stated, "Yondaime just introduced us to his brother. Quite an odd coincidence, don't you think? For him to appear now, out of the blue?"

Mikoto flinched at the mention of the unnerving man, "I have met him." She whispered, looking at Fugaku, "There's something about him…"

Fugaku raised a brow in question and his wife sighed, "There was this confusing interaction between him and Itachi." She shook her head, waving her hand to emphasize on her confusion, "They barely exchanged a few words but Itachi seemed to connect instantly with him on some level."

The Uchiha clan head frowned, "He wants Itachi to be his apprentice." he murmured hesitantly, "I think it would be a good idea to let them be, Mikoto. We have no idea how powerful Namikaze Naruaki is, but I know that there is more to him than he lets on. In the meeting, he made this little comment, you know." He looked at her, his eyes shrewd and calculating, "He said that he was fairly skilled in Fuuin Jutsu but not so much in other skills but I doubt him. Yondaime-sama got this amused look on his face when his brother said that. Moreover, Yondaime-sama also said that his brother knew some seals that _he_ didn't know and we know that Yondaime-sama is _very_ skilled in Fuuin Jutsu. If he's better than Yondaime-sama in sealing then he's very powerful."

"But do you trust him?" Mikoto asked nervously.

Fugaku snorted, "Hardly. I'd be a fool to do so but he is Yondaime's brother and we know that he saved Konoha putting his own life at risk." He looked thoughtful as he recalled the meeting and the man they were discussing about, "There's something about him... He moves like seasoned ANBU do, Mikoto."

She shifted, looking out of the opened shoji doors with a frown, "He has taken interest in our boy… what reason could he have?"

Fugaku shrugged, "I told you he wants Itachi to be his apprentice." He narrowed his eyes, "I don't mind if he does. Itachi will flourish under him, I can tell. Our boy is brilliant and it takes someone brilliant to learn Fuuin jutsu. That would explain why Namikaze took an interest in Itachi. Possibly, he spotted the potential and wanted to utilize it."

"But…"

"Mikoto, think about this." He insisted, "This could mean so much for the Uchiha clan. The Namikaze clan may be small but it is very powerful now. Yondaime-sama is the Hokage and now this brother of his, who seems equally brilliant." He reached forward and took her hand, "And you know that Namikaze Naruto, growing up with such intelligent and powerful people, would be a prodigy as well. It's likely that he may not be naturally gifted as Itachi or Yondaime-sama is but you know that his upbringing will make him a force to reckon with." He looked into her eyes, "A bond between master and apprentice is a deep bond. If Sasuke and Naruto grow up to be friends, and that seems very likely, than our clan will have more influence and power than the Hyuuga."

Mikoto sighed, "You're right of course." She conceded, "Presently, our chances of establishing a close friendship with Yondaime-sama's family do seem extremely high. Yondaime-sama entrusting me with the care of his son while he's at work is an honor as well." She smiled softly, "Things finally seem to be turning our way, Fugaku."

Fugaku nodded, "Yes, it does seem as though the Uchiha clan is finally getting the respect and acknowledgment it deserves."

* * *

Sharp blue eyes assessed the surroundings, the experienced gaze analyzing every detail that could help or hinder his mission. He scanned the outer perimeter of the compound he was about to infiltrate and nodded his head decisively to himself.

He performed a single seal and a few Kage Bunshin popped up. He nodded silently to his replicas and watched as the clones turned into rats with the help of Henge and scurried away.

Now all he had to do is wait for the clones to dispel themselves. He closed his eyes and relaxed, leaning against he tree he was hiding behind while all his senses were open to take in his surroundings.

It took a long while for the clones to explore the entire compound and thankfully, the mission was not time-bound. He kept himself busy by checking the seals he had drawn on simple paper tags. A strategy he had developed that earned him the reputation of being an assassin who left behind no blood.

Silent, swift and clean. That was how Naruaki preferred all his missions to be.

There was a slight tinge of pain in his temple as the clones dispelled themselves and he carefully analyzed the information he was given. The targets had hired a small team of five Kirigakure's ninja to guard a large manor. However, along with the team there were many thugs and street-brawlers guarding the manor.

He scoffed delicately and narrowed his eyes, a map of the grounds forming in his mind. His targets were five 'businessmen' who were causing trouble for the local farmers and merchants of the small villages near the eastern border of Hi no Kuni. This wasn't exactly a job delegated to an ANBU level ninja but Naruaki was well aware that his father wanted to gauge his strength.

It was a test mission. Naruaki knew that. Yondaime had sent him on an A-class assassination mission to test his abilities. He could vaguely sense an ANBU from Konoha, no doubt a captain, shadowing his every move. He smirked softly, swiftly tying his hair and hiding the luminescent, easily noticeable tresses underneath a black bandana. His eyes once again, scanned the surroundings before he moved.

Stealthily, he slipped into the compound, the details that his Kage Bunshin had given him still fresh in his mind. He took the best and the fastest route into the manor that he could find, fingering the paper-tags in his pouch with a calculating glint in his eyes.

_Control seals_.

He caressed the hilt of his sword, deciding that he would stick to Fuuin, Tai, and Ken jutsu. The absence of the seal and Kyuubi's removal had done something to him. He could feel it, a change in his body but he had no idea what it was. Using high level NinJutsu wasn't something he dared to attempt without knowing his limitations.

Abruptly, he stilled, his blue eyes glancing towards a shadowed corner.

He raised a brow as he spotted a Kirigakure Nin leaning lazily against the wall. The boy looked bored out of his mind, yawning and scratching his head. Judging by the strength that he could sense in the boy and his youth, Naruaki suspected that the ninja was at Chunin level. He didn't seem to possess the alertness and the experience that most Jounin were expected to have. In fact, Naruaki suspected that he was a recently promoted Chunin.

'_Tsk._' Naruaki thought to himself as he pulled out one of the many control seals from his utility pouch, '_Incompetent._' He moved swiftly and soundlessly, catching the ninja off-guard and pressing the paper tag against the boy's neck. He smiled serenely, "Why hello, my good fellow." He murmured, holding the struggling kid with ease, "Sorry for the inconvenience but you're going to be my servant now." He pressed a glowing finger against the seal on the paper-tag, "_Activate._"

His captive stilled, going limp in Naruaki's arms. His eyes glazed over for a moment before regaining clarity. "You never saw me here. You'll guard Kanazawa Satsuma's room while I'm inside and assure anyone who passes you that he's fine. If they ask whether you have spotted any intruders, you'll say you haven't and do you best to stop them from knowing my presence."

The boy nodded and Naruaki patted his head, "Good boy." He murmured before vanishing from sight, heading for his first target's room. He looked about before concentrating his senses to see if there was anyone but the target inside the room. When he found no one, he easily slipped inside the room, his narrowed eyes piercing through the darkness to locate his target.

Satsuma was sleeping, that much was obvious. There was a dagger on the desk that stood by the large, luxurious bed. He arched a brow, looking at the man sleeping at the center of the bed. It was clear that even if the man were awake he wouldn't have enough time to get the dagger before Naruaki finished him.

He slipped his hand in his pouch and removed another paper-tag. This one was deadly. Holding the tag between two fingers, he carefully examined the seal with an expert gaze, checking to see if it had any flaws.

Leisurely, he walked toward the sleeping body on the bed and carefully placed the tag on the target's exposed chest. The man twitched at the light touch on his chest but continued snoring.

"_Fuuin Jutsu: Sokushi._" (Sealing technique: Instant death)

Blue eyes gleamed.

"_Activate._"

Not even a single sound came from the body before him after that. He watched as the target's eyes snapped open, his lips parting in a silent scream before life faded from that gaze. All of this happened in a matter of seconds.

Slim fingers grasped the paper-tag, which was now blank, and placed it back in his pocket. The skin the seal had touched remained unmarked and anyone who examined the body would think that the man died of a simple heart attack.

'_That is, if they were stupid enough to miss that his head is missing as well.'_

Out of the two swords in his possession, he unsheathed one. It was a short wakizashi, the second sword of his Daisho. He placed a seal the dead body's neck, ensuring that no blood with spill once his task was done. Ninja were sensitive to the scent of blood and Naruaki didn't want to attract attention. Using his wakizashi, he swiftly beheaded the target and sealed his head in a sealing scroll just as he had been ordered to do.

Next target: Kanazawa Hiroshi.

As he slipped out of the room, he noticed that the ninja in his control was now in the company of four thugs who were chattering loudly. Naruaki raised a brow at their foolishness. With the noise they were making, he'd be able to slip pass them easily.

However, his plans were slightly disrupted when another Kirigakure ninja arrived, narrowing his eyes angrily at the thugs. Authority and experience dictated the man's every action. The way the newcomer seemed to analyze the thugs and interact with the chunin under his control told Naruaki that this one was a superior ninja... most likely a Jounin.

Fortunately, Naruaki had placed the Control seal on the part of the boy's neck that was hidden by his vest. However, if the older Kiri-nin knew his companion well, he'd notice something different about the kid's behavior and get suspicious.

Naruaki narrowed his eyes, his control of his captive was absolute but the Control seal was still one of the weakest seals in his arsenal.

To his relief, the older man simply nodded at the boy, reprimanded the thugs and walked away. However, as the Kiri-nin walked away, Naruaki sensed something, a change in his manner, subtle, but there.

He smirked. '_This one is competent._'

He followed the man stealthily, his eyes narrowed to observe his movements. Five glowing kanji formed at the tip of his fingers and he pressed them against the wall, his blue eyes gleaming in triumph as both he and his opponent were trapped within an impenetrable barrier. No sound and no chakra would escape the barrier and therefore, unless someone stumbled across them, no one would sense their confrontation.

"Shinobi-san." He called out. The sharp sound metal clashing against metal rang out as soon as the words left Naruaki's mouth. "Smart." The Yondaime's son murmured, "I happen to like smart people."

"Who are you?" The Kiri-nin asked calmly, as though he wasn't aware of the sheer force of Naruaki's strike and the calculating light in the younger boy's eyes.

"Me?" Naruaki asked, a brow raised, "You honestly expect me to tell you my name?" he asked sardonically before he moved his arm, watching impassively the ninja flew back with a simple twist of his wrist. "Well, sir, you were at least able to sense my presence, weren't you? Is that the limit of your strength?"

His opponent assessed him calmly, trying to find his weaknesses but Naruaki was already moving.

"_Omph!_" The older man grit his teeth as his arm rattled under the force of Naruaki's strike and the former ANBU smirked. In the blink of an eye, Naruaki had a seal pressed on the man's forehead.

He flipped away from the enemy, "I don't have time to waste with you, so bye-bye." He waved before his hands moved in a blur to form hand-seals, "Fuuin Jutsu: Gouka: Kashou!" (_Sealing technique: Hell fire: Burn!_)

The Kiri-nin screamed and fell to his knees, his hands clawing at his forehead as he convulsed on the floor. He lay on the floor, thrashing and turning, low moans and sobs escaping him as he tried to adjust with the phantom pain. Finally, he lost the battle and went limp.

Naruaki frowned and walked forward as soon as the older man lost consciousness, "I won't kill you." He reached down and pulled off the seal from his forehead, again finding no traces of it on the man, "I don't want to risk retribution from your village."

He stood and touched the wall again, his glowing fingertips changing the barrier, shrinking it. Calmly, he walked away, leaving the now invisible shinobi behind. The Gouka seal was one of the many fire seals he had created. Gouka had three levels to it; the very first level was Kashou. The intensity of the burn induced by the seal would successfully render a person unconscious for nearly four days. The barrier he had set up around the Kiri-nin would last for one.

The last two levels guaranteed death. Level two, Demono or _boil_ did just what the name suggested. The Seal increases the temperature of blood to such an extent that it was deadly. A person would die with his own blood killing him. The last level, Kantsuu, _pierce_ sent arrows of fire through a person's body, hitting and destroying most of the vital organs of the target.

He shook his head before vanishing from sight with a single step. He still had four more to kill.

Naruaki raised a brow when he saw a Kiri-nin and three other guards at the entrance of Kanazawa Hiroshi's room. With an inaudible sigh, he created four Kage Bunshin. '_Killing a Kirigakure ninja will have consequences but killing some thugs who have been terrorizing innocent farmers and merchants will be of no consequence._'

A clone pressed the control seal against the ninja before he could react. The real Naruaki allowed his clones to take care of the unimportant things while he slipped into the room. He had one more ninja under the Control seal and the three guards dead before he closed the door.

With an uninterested glance at the door, he walked towards his sleeping target only to sigh when he spotted a woman sleeping beside him. As he walked towards the sleeping couple, his hands started forming seals.

"Go to sleep, dear lady." He whispered as he placed a glowing hand against her forehead, "And don't awake for a long, _long_ while." He smirked before slipping his hand in his pouch and placing the tag on the target's chest. "_Activate._" He murmured, watching as another one of his targets died.

Abruptly, he felt the bite of cold steel against his sensitive throat, "You think you're very smart, don't you, Konoha scum?" A low voice growled against his ear and Naruaki raised a brow, looking unfazed. "You killed two of our clients already, I'm not gonna let you kill the other three."

"Oh?" he asked, his blue eyes shifting to glance at the Kirigakure ninja who thought he had him trapped, "What are you going to do?"

"Isn't it obvious?" the man snarled, "I'm gonna kill you!" Just as the kunai at his throat moved, Naruaki smirked.

The clang of metal against metal caught his opponent off-guard and his eyes widened as he saw a long, gleaming silver blade cutting through his kunai like knife through butter. The ninja jumped back, dropped the kunai and unsheathing a wicked looking dagger.

Naruaki hummed before he shifted a little, his sword held delicately in one hand as he observed his opponent's stance. He had sparred with Sarutobi Asuma many times before the man died and that particular jounin had been an expert when it came to daggers. "Tell me," Naruaki asked as he slipped into a stance, "Did you inform anyone of my presence?"

The Kiri-nin scowled at him, "The two Chunin I encountered seemed to be…" he looked at the Konoha ninja pointedly, "Compromised." The older man smirked, "However, they were just brats and I'm an experienced jounin, there is no way you can escape me, bastard. Just because no one knows of your presence doesn't mean that you can escape this place al…" the Jounin choked, his eyes widening as Naruaki's sword pierced his shoulder.

"Curse you!" The Kiri-nin cried out before charging at Naruaki with his dagger. The Hokage's son observed the charging man with narrowed eyes. The boy hilted his head to the side, took a step forward, and vanished from sight.

A loud clang singled the meeting of two blades and the opponent's entire arm quivered. He swallowed his angry curses, terrified to note that he couldn't see his enemy's movements at all. Another clang and he gasped as he was pushed back, supporting one arm with another as he glared into the icy blue orbs of his opponent. "You bastard." He hissed and Naruaki scoffed, somersaulting with ease to avoid the thrust of his dagger.

Sharp sound of metal against metal sounded throughout the room and Naruaki was unrelenting. The enemy ninja grunted as he dodged another strike and winced as his enemy's blade drew blood from his chest. He gritted his teeth, glaring at his opponent. '_So… so strong… How the hell are his strikes so strong!_'

Barely a few minutes into the fight and the Jounin was painting heavily, his palm red and bleeding as he tried to hold on to his dagger to defend himself from the wrath of Naruaki's sword. He scrambled backwards, desperately parrying another thrust, moistening his suddenly dry lips as he fought to control the shaking of his body. His opponent's sword looked more like a deadly weapon than a fancy toy now that he faced force of each blow.

The Konoha ninja didn't even sweat, coming at him with a calm expression on his face. The sharp sound of the long gleaming blade cutting through the air reached his ears and the Kirigakure ninja feebly tried to block.

The dagger fell from numb, bleeding fingers as the man stepped back to avoid being killed. Naruaki looked down at the fallen dagger and then back at the opponent who was moving his fingers to form handseals slowly. The Konoha nin shook his head before reaching forward and grasping a wrist before his opponent had time to react.

A cry echoed through the room as Naruaki snapped the Jounin's bone, letting the broken arm fall. "No NinJutsu." He ordered before slipping a hand into his pouch to retrieve another seal, "We don't want the others to know of my presence, now do we?" he asked with a smile before slapping a seal onto the man's forehead, "Fuuin jutsu: Surikesu." (_Sealing Technique: Erase_)

The enemy shinobi's eyes glazed over before he collapsed, unconscious. Naruaki retrieved the target's head and walked out of the room, this time more cautious. There was a distinct possibility that someone would've heard the fight and was alerting the others. The only way he could avoid confrontation was to finish his mission quickly before they called in a back-up team.

Absently, he checked his connections with the Control Seals he had placed on the Kiri ninja. He arched a brow, surprised to find that they were still active on them, suppressing the two enemy ninja's free will. The Jounin must not have discovered the seals.

'_Good._' Naruaki thought to himself as he slipped into the room of his third target, '_The less they know the more advantageous it is for me. Considering that true Fuuin jutsu masters are rare, they don't know how to fight someone who can use offensive seals in active battle. Other villages don't need to know about my sealing abilities._' He observed the empty room with a frown before his eyes moved to the terrace where his target was standing by the railing and drinking something, '_Sake, no doubt._' Naruaki thought, slipping into a dark, shadowed part of the room. '_Using the Surikesu seal on that man was a waste if he didn't know of the existence of the seal. I was merely able to erase the memory of his encounter with the controlled chunin and nothing else. They'll still know about my abilities at KenJutsu._'

He observed the target, frowning at the short kodachi in the man's hand. '_This one is a cautious bastard._' Naruaki thought, abandoning the thought of using the Instant Death seal. He waited patiently for a few minutes.

The moment the target stepped back into the room, Naruaki moved. Before the man could even understand what was happening, he found a sword driving through his chest. Naruaki held his katana in one hand and used his wakizashi to swiftly behead the target, grimacing at the blood that was now splattered no the rich carpet and the bed.

'_Messy, messy._' He thought to himself in displeasure as he sealed another head into his scroll.

As he slipped out of the room, he mentally accessed the situation. He knew there were five ninja stationed in the compound and an assortment of thugs and wanna-be samurai. Four were out of the way and only one ninja was free to cause trouble.

'_I best finish this quickly._'

He killed the next two targets as swiftly as possible, not caring much about the scent of blood or the noise, though he had been silent. He had yet to encounter the one missing opponent but he sensed that the ninja wasn't inside the manor.

With a frown, he knelt down in one of the many corridors he had encountered and swiftly drew a seal on the floor. With narrowed eyes, he watched the entire set of runes glow dimly once he was done.

Once he was done, he moved the four ninja and the woman he had put to sleep out of the manor and deposited the five unconscious people by the gates of the compound. He had already disabled the Control Seals leaving the two captive shinobi with no memory of him.

Naruaki sighed and easily jumped over the boundary wall of the compound and exiting the place. The security was so low that it was pitiful. The mission wasn't something that an ANBU would ever perform. At least, he didn't think so.

Or maybe his perception was off. He had never really performed a normal ANBU mission ever since he joined the force under Danzo's command. Considering that he was Danzo's pet Jinchuuriki, it was likely that the Root commander only sent him on High-Risk missions.

Either that, or Yondaime was trying to send Naruaki to _safe_ missions because he didn't quite believe that a boy of eighteen was strong enough to be an ANBU captain, let alone a General.

Naruaki didn't blame him. The circumstances of his promotion were definitely shady and the Yondaime had every reason to doubt him.

Shaking his head, he decided to ponder over the matter when he wasn't on a mission.

When he was a distance away from the manor, he looked over his shoulder with a sharp, slightly sinister grin, "_Boom._" He whispered and the manor exploded. The thugs and self-declared samurai who were in the building were now dead. With the mission now completed to his satisfaction, the former ANBU dashed towards Konoha.

While he was heading towards Konoha, he noticed something. With a faint smirk, he slipped his hand into his kunai pouch and launched a set of shuriken in a single direction. "You might as well wave your hands about and scream '_I'm here, I'm here_' with the level of noise you are making." Naruaki stated bluntly and watched three fuming Kirigakure ninja stepped out of the shadows.

"Ah." Naruaki hummed thoughtfully, looking at the youngest and weakest seeming of them all, assuming that he was the missing ninja that he had sensed earlier. "You brought back-up, huh?" he looked at the stronger looking opponents and tilted his head to the side, "I doubt you're coming here all the way from Kiri. _Seven_ shinobi were assigned to protect the criminals. Some of you actually _look_ competent." He raised his brows, "Quite a number to be granted for the protection of a few measly drug-lords." He grinned when the ninja stiffened and the youngest amongst them looked confused.

"Aa." He nodded sagely, "Spying on Konoha, are you? Using the drug-lords and their influence to see what we're up to." Naruaki drew his sword with a smirk, "Ingenious." He murmured, "You would've gotten away with it too. Unfortunately for you," he grinned sharply and moved, "It didn't work out."

One of the older shinobi growled, his hands forming swift seals, "Ninpou: Kirigakure no Jutsu!"

Naruaki frowned, annoyed. This was a troublesome jutsu, especially when his Kyuubi-enhanced senses were absent.

'_This'll be a test to see how much I've truly lost when Kyuubi was taken away._' Naruaki thought to himself as he expanded his senses.

Suddenly, he raised his sword, blocking the oncoming strike from a kunai. He raised a brow, noting that they were too noisy to use the silent killing technique effectively. "This jutsu works well when you have large swords to assist you." He murmured, recalling both Zabuza and Kisame as he pushed the man away. All the while, he dodged another strike from his opponent, bringing his katana up to block a kunai from another enemy.

'_They're giving themselves away._' He thought to himself as his sword sliced through the fog.

"Give up, Konoha scum! You may be smart but you're nothing against three of us." The most reckless of the three sneered at Naruaki. The inexperienced boy had given away his position.

He pivoted on his heel and executed a precise stab.

There was a wet gurgle and he knew he had pierced the boy's lung, barely missing his heart.

A roar of rage disrupted the silence of the clearing, "We'll kill you before you can go and report this to your Yondaime Hokage!" One of them cried out in anger and Naruaki dodged another blade, his eyes gleaming calculatingly as he analyzed the situation. There was something out of place here. These ninja were spies but not strong fighters. Kiri had obviously intended to send ninja who were observant. Maybe, they didn't really consider power and skill vital for a simply espionage mission.

How foolish of them.

The former ANBU was finding the entire situation rather ridiculous. Did his opponents know at the art of Silent Killing that Zabuza had used so skillfully? He could hear their breaths, he could see their movements distort the fog around them; his ears could pick up their whispers as they planned how to attack him.

They weren't even _trying_.

Naruaki sheathed his sword, and straightened from his defensive stance, looking at fog around him calmly. "Your actions are futile."

He ignored their outraged noises and drew blood from his own palm to use it as ink. Moving his blood-coated finger, he channeled his chakra in a very specific and intricate gesture to form a seal in the air in front of him. All the while, he kept moving, dodging the attacks of the enemy ninja.

Once he was done, he flipped back, facing him and let his chakra surge through the seal. "Special Seal: Genshuku!" (_Special Seal: Gravity_).

The effect was instantaneous.

The fog instantly dissipated and he watched as the two remaining shinobi fell, landing forcefully on the ground. They were stuck in that position, only able to twitch and try to move, as an enormous force seemed to keep them in place. The reckless one was already unconscious due to the blood loss.

He looked down at the glowing seal that had formed in front of his palm and walked forward, holding the seal with careful concentration. "Now, don't be worried. Our interrogation expert is a pretty decent guy." He mocked dryly. He knelt down and slammed the glowing seal onto the ground before moving his hand away. He raised a brow, gazing at them coolly when they tried to move, thinking the technique had been disabled. "I've merely anchored the seal down into the ground so that I can have my hands free."

Swiftly, he brought his hand down, "Goodnight."

Once he had rendered the ninja unconscious, he disabled the Gravity seal and created three Kage Bunshin, "Tie them up and let's return to Konoha. Each carries one and make sure that they do not awake until we reach Konoha." The clones nodded and Naruaki turned towards the direction of Konoha and sped off.

* * *

"You're back." Yondaime murmured as his ANBU stepped into the office. He was eager to know about Naruaki's performance during the mission. He looked at the masked ninja in front of him and frowned, "Remove your mask and give me your report, Nara Shikato. Feel free to voice your personal opinion on this." The ANBU nodded and took a seat when Yondaime gestured him to, removing his mask and putting it away.

"Well?" Yondaime asked with a raised brow.

Nara stayed silent for a moment, as though gathering his thoughts. Then, he looked up at his leader and frowned, "Yondaime-sama, you had asked me to evaluate his abilities on this mission but…" he paused, "I have to admit that it is difficult to do so."

The Hokage raised a brow, baffled. "I've never encountered a person who fights like he does, sir. I believe that if we need to know of his full combat abilities, we need to have him battling a ninja of at least ANBU captain level." He leaned back in his chair thoughtfully.

"I don't want to know his full combat abilities. I just want to know if he's skilled enough to be in our ANBU." Yondaime admitted, "I need to know his placement."

"Well, he's most certainly skilled enough to be an ANBU." Nara stated, "His style of fighting is a bit unorthodox. When you informed us that he was an expert in Fuuin Jutsu, I didn't expect it to be like this."

Yondaime frowned in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Sir, most consider you to be an expert in Fuuin jutsu as well and I've only seen you use seals in active battle situations when you perform Hiraishin no Jutsu." Nara explained, "Your brother, on the other hand, seemed to rely primarily on Fuuin Jutsu and KenJutsu during the mission. In fact, the only NinJutsu that I saw him use was Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

Yondaime hummed thoughtfully. "I'm aware that you don't know much about seals but I'd like you to explain those seals and their effects to me."

"I'll try my best, sir." He murmured before he went on to answer, "I wasn't close enough to thoroughly analyze the seals. I could see that he had some seals drawn on small paper-tags. The very first seal he used was on a Kirigakure chunin… one of the ninja from the Formation C Kirigakure team that the targets had hired."

Yondaime raised a brow, "Formation C? As in a team with four Jounin and three Chunin? To guard five measly drug-lords?" he asked in mild disbelief. "I expected some ninja protection detail but not that much. It seems a bit excessive."

Nara smiled a bit, "That's exactly what your brother thought as well. He suspects that they were discreetly spying on us. He has already brought them in for interrogation." Shikato shook his head, "A risky move but if our interrogators find something before Kirigakure contacts us, we'll escape the repercussions of it."

"It was a risky but necessary move. If they were indeed spying on us, we need to know why." Yondaime commented thoughtfully, "I'll ask him more about this tonight. You were talking about seals on paper-tags?"

"Yes." Nara nodded, stoking his goatee with a frown, "Out of the total of eight types of seals that he used, only three weren't drawn on paper-tags."

"Interesting." Yondaime murmured and gestured Nara to continue.

"The first seal that he used on the mission seemed some sort of mind-control device… I cannot discern its purpose accurately but the ninja who was under its influence seemed to follow Naruaki-san's commands." Yondaime raised a brow in surprise, trying to understand how such a seal would work.

"The next seal that he used was frankly, quite fearsome, Yondaime-sama. He calls it '_Fuuin Jutsu: Sokushi.'_ (Sealing technique: Instant death). He simply placed the seal on the target's chest and the target died."

"Died?" Minato asked with a frown, "Just like that?"

Nara nodded, "Without even a single sound, sir. I suspect that the seal delivers some sort of shock to the heart and is very location-specific. It seems that it must be placed very close to the heart if it is to work, but I can't be certain." Minato only hummed thoughtfully, gesturing the other man to continue, "The next seal the he used was a standard one that every ANBU and Hunter Nin uses. It was to prevent the blood from spilling once the target's head was taken as evidence."

"That Instant Death seal intrigues me…" Yondaime murmured distractedly, "Was it a Raiton based seal or a pure chakra seal?" he mused, confusing Shikato with his words.

"Sir?"

Yondaime shook his head, "Never mind, please continue."

The Nara nodded, "Another seal he used is something similar to what I've seen you use. He created a barrier so that no noise or chakra leaked past it."

"The Dome seal." Yondaime nodded, "Quite a malleable seal, not very strong but excellent for concealing one's presence."

"Quite possible, sir. I was inside the barrier which leads me to believe that your brother was aware of my presence and was simply indulging me." At this Yondaime smirked a little, his eyes glowing knowingly and Nara shook his head. "There was another seal that quite baffled me. He called this, '_Fuuin jutsu: Gouka: Kashou_' (Sealing technique: Hell fire: Burn). This seal too, was drawn on a paper-tag. It seemed to cause the target immense pain. I can only conclude what its purpose was from its name. There was certainly no outward evidence of burning or any sort of fire."

"It was internal then? Did the target die?" Yondaime asked, leaning forward in interest. He couldn't wait to get his hands on the techniques. He wanted to know where Naruaki learned the techniques. Maybe his son created these fascinating seals? Who knew how far his son's knowledge extended?

"Er…" Nara paused at Yondaime apparent excitement, "No sir." He conceded, "Naruaki-san didn't intend for any Kirigakure ninja to die to avoid political repercussions. I take it that he would rather not have his name on the Bingo books as of yet."

"Definitely a fire based seal... maybe a barrier of water element to contain the burn within the body? How fascinating." Minato murmured absently, gesturing impatiently for Nara to continue.

Shikato looked at his leader in amusement before continuing, "Another seal he used was something called Fuuin jutsu: Surikesu." (_Sealing Technique: Erase_). I assume it was to erase something. Again, it would be best if you ask him about it."

Minato frowned, "I will. His skills are too fascinating for me to ignore. There's lot about seals that I could learn from him." He nearly grinned at the prospect.

Nara resisted the urge to chuckle. The brothers were alike some matters, it seemed. "Then he used a bit more complex version of the seal used in the Explosive tags. I got a chance to look at the seal before I had to exit the premises." He shook his head, remembering the loud explosion that left his ears ringing. "Not very discreet, I must admit. He was aware that there was another ninja who was bringing in some sort of reinforcements."

"One more seal." Minato murmured.

"Yes." Nara smiled, "The most fascinating for the last. Special seal: Genshuku."

"Gravity?" Yondaime asked with a raised brow.

Nara nodded, "As the name implies, the seal somehow causes the force of gravity to affect the targets and pull them down. I'm assuming that the pressure was strong since the opponents weren't able to move. He performed this seal while he was mobile. He was dodging the attacks of the enemy ninja and fighting when he formed the seal and utilized it. He didn't use a paper-tag or draw the seal on a solid surface, sir. He drew the seal in the air."

Yondaime looked at them incredulously, "In air? How is such a thing possible?"

Nara shrugged, for once looking lost.

"Gravity… This is beyond my imagination. Not only has he learned how to layer elements within a seal but he has also learned how to combine them to emulate Advance chakra nature manipulation…" Yondaime frowned in thought, "I've never heard of such techniques."

"Maybe Jiraiya-sama could help?" He offered, "And if Kushina-sam-" Nara paused, biting his tongue at the slip.

A sad smile crossed Yondaime's lips as he sat back with a sigh, "She would've definitely offered some of her expert opinion in the matter."

Nara bowed his head, "I'm sorry, sir."

The Hokage shook his head and looked at the ANBU, "He only used Fuuin Jutsu or do you have anything else to tell me?"

The Nara shook his head, "He used Fuuin jutsu for dealing with the major obstacles but from what I can observe he is very skilled with the sword as well. He carries a Daisho with him, I believe." The man looked a bit confused, "A samurai weapon in the hands of the ninja, quite baffling." He murmured to himself but Yondaime heard it and smirked in amusement, "He is _very_ fast, Yondaime-sama, almost surpassing your speed though I believe that you'd defeat him in that aspect with the help of Hiraishin." Nara paused as other thought struck him, "That's unless, he, like you, has also developed a seal to facilitate his speed. He used Kage Bunshin as a tool to get a layout of the manor, commanding the clones to use Henge and explore enemy territory with them."

Yondaime nodded, the tactic was generally used by most jounin and ANBU used to safely spy on enemies. "What else can you tell me?"

"He was perceptive, calm and level-headed during the mission." The ninja stated, "He used only what was required and nothing more. No unnecessary waste of chakra or time." he seemed rather impressed at that, "Sixteen year old boys usually have the tendency of going overboard. The manner in which he conducted the mission indicated experience and patience. Every action was calculated."

The Hokage frowned, "Did he take any risks? Do any mistakes?"

Nara shook his head, "A few things didn't go according to plan for him but he coped. I suspect that he wanted to slip in and out without anyone noticing. I also believe that he didn't plan to destroy the manor." he leaned back, his gaze inward, "His strategy was to use minimal force to gain maximum advantage. Once he believed that they were aware of his presence, he focused on finishing the mission quickly. As for taking risks... well, he didn't. There was no need to."

Yondaime nodded, looking thoughtful.

"He seemed bored by the mission, Yondaime-sama." Nara said with an amused smile, "He made this look quite easy though I suspect the Fuuin jutsu gives him an advantage. It took him a mere hour to complete the entire mission and he did it well, though with a certain degree of carelessness and disregard that most would mistake to be arrogance. He's so supremely confident in his abilities. That precise planning and execution seems to indicate that he has accomplished far more difficult missions, Yondaime-sama."

Yondaime ran his fingers through his hair with a frown, "A mission that involved going against seven experienced ninja is hardly a simple mission, Nara-san. I thought I was giving him something that would test his boundaries. Is it that the enemy ninja were weak or that I have underestimated the child once again?"

"As far as standards go, such a mission is generally assigned to Jounin and new ANBU recruits. It was an appropriate test for someone like Naruaki-san. He is, after all, just sixteen." Nara frowned, "However, his Fuuin Jutsu is a very formidable weapon in his hands." He paused to scratch his chin thoughtfully, "I've never encountered anything like this and I doubt that our enemies have. It's a style of fighting that we don't know how to counter and that puts Naruaki-san at an advantage."

Minato leaned back and raised a brow, "You mean to imply that the mission seemed easy because of his Fuuin Jutsu skills?" he frowned, his gaze inward, "I see what you mean. His Fuuin jutsu seems ideal for such missions."

With narrowed eyes, Nara went on to further explain his observations, "If we take away the arsenal of Fuuin Jutsu that he has, I don't know where he stands in terms of strength."

He leaned back thoughtfully, "His KenJutsu skills seem formidable though I've only caught a mere glimpse of it. He is fast and very powerful. From what I could deduce, I'd say that Naruaki-san delivers a lot of force in each strike of his sword. However, other than that, everything is speculation. I don't know how well he would do against a KenJutsu master."

Minato sighed, "So essentially, we garnered nothing about his skills from this mission."

The Nara nodded, "Nothing except for the fact that he is definitely skilled enough to be in the ANBU."

"Very well. I'll speak to the General and see about recruiting him into our ANBU forces." He shook his head, "If I'm correct then it would be best if we wait for a while."

"Yondaime-sama?"

Minato sighed, "I believe that Naruaki still hasn't recovered." He looked out of the window, "When he handed me the scroll with the targets' heads, he looked exhausted. I had to excuse him without asking for a full report."

Nara frowned, "Exhausted?"

"I believe that right now, he's paying for sealing away the Kyuubi. His body is weak and usually it takes people months to recover from such a drain. He was able to recover faster than most but now I think it would be best if we don't tax him." Yondaime looked at Nara with a frown, "Well, that'll be all. Thank you Nara-san. You may leave."

Nara Shikato nodded and was about to leave but Minato stopped him. "Just one more thing, Nara-san." Yondaime murmured, "I want you to organize a basic squad of powerful and trustworthy ANBU, ones who are capable of staying out of Naruaki's senses. I'm not stupid enough to underestimate Danzo and his cronies. I know he still has control over the ANBU Root. He may come after Naruaki or Naruto. I want them protected at all times."

Nara nodded, "I'll get to it as soon as I can." He frowned thoughtfully, "Though I'm certain that Naruaki-san won't appreciate this."

Minato scoffed, his eyes narrowed and fierce, "Well, I don't care what he thinks. He's my responsibility now and I'll be damned before I let anyone harm my family. Losing Kushina was enough; I'm not going to lose Naruaki and Naruto to some greedy bastard."

* * *

The rhythmic tapping of Naruaki's fingers disturbed the silence in the library. It was quite late in the night and both Yondaime and Naruto had fallen into an exhausted sleep.

He, on the other hand, was wide-awake, finally finding some private time to contemplate his plans. He was astounded by how much he had managed to achieve over the course of a few days.

Sealing the Kyuubi had come at a heavy price. His mother had just slipped through his fingers. She had been within his reach, right in front of his eyes and yet he couldn't save her.

However, even though his mother's death had torn him apart, he recognized that he had, at least, managed to save his father. One parent was better than no parents at all. At least, Naruto would never have to grow up without a father.

Moreover, in one move, he had subtly motivated Yondaime to remove Danzo from his seat of power and give Uchiha the recognition that they craved. It was a step in the right direction, as far as gaining the loyalty of the Uchiha clan was concerned. He wouldn't know the full effect of it for a while but he had a feeling that it would work out. If the Uchiha still tried to rebel…

Well, he would cross the bridge when he got there.

Besides, Itachi was finally his to mould. With the brilliant Uchiha in his hands, it would be up to him to decide whether the Uchiha massacre happened or not.

Whether he was a good teacher or not, he needed to keep Itachi grounded. He _did_ have some experience with Konohamaru and his silly group. Dealing with Itachi, who was obviously an eager and intelligent student, shouldn't be a problem.

He recognized the Uchiha massacre as one of the pivotal turning points of Konoha's history. That was a great loss of power, especially the loss of prodigies like Itachi and Sasuke. There was no way he was going to let either of them leave Konoha. Itachi was too important, too powerful to lose. Moreover, the man was positively a saint and Naruaki didn't wish for someone who was so loyal to Konoha just wither away like that.

Against Madara, Pein and the likes, Itachi would be of great help.

First, he needed to find the disease that weakened Itachi so much that Sasuke was able to kill him. Naruaki was no fool. He knew that while his best friend was very skilled and powerful, he didn't hold a candle to Itachi. Sasuke's Sharingan had more potential than Itachi's but the older Uchiha was superior in skills as well as mental fortitude.

Secondly, he had to see to it that Itachi never attained the Mangekyou Sharingan. Itachi's true power didn't reside in the mastery of his bloodline limit, but in his own natural skills. He would nurture that power and turn Itachi into a formidable shinobi without the power of Mangekyou Sharingan to assist him.

As for Sasuke, he had a feeling that Itachi would take care of his brother himself. It was best to leave Sasuke alone. That is, unless, the boy decided to get jealous of Itachi or do something equally foolish and fall into Orochimaru's trap again.

This time, Naruaki himself would bring Sasuke back, kicking and screaming, if he had to.

Of course, his prime concern was Naruto. Once he was old enough, Naruaki would do everything in his power to ensure that Naruto was strong enough to face the battles in the future.

Narrowing his eyes, he took a sip of his tea and tilted his head back, peering at the dark ceiling. If he moved each piece carefully, everything would fall into place. He had learned from his experience as a General of the ANBU that subtlety and psychological warfare worked better than hands and fists in situations like this.

His first goal was to make Konoha strong, stronger than it ever was.

His second goal was to protect all his precious people, everyone, from Yondaime to Naruto to Itachi and Sasuke to Sakura and the others.

His last goal…?

_Destroy Konoha's enemies._

A slow smirk formed on his handsome features, an expression that was almost sinister.

They wouldn't know what hit them.

"Naruaki?" A low, sleepy voice caught his attention and he quickly wiped all expression off his face as the lights came on. He raised a brow at the ruffled looking Yondaime, blearily stepping into the library, patting the whimpering Naruto on his back.

"Naruto woke up." He explained with a yawn, "The little tyke thought that it would be a good idea to wake his poor daddy up to keep him company as well." He murmured, swaying gently to soothing the child and coax him back to sleep.

Naruaki's lips twitched at the picture Yondaime made. If his enemies could see him now…

"I know what you are thinking." Minato said, glaring at him petulantly. Naruaki stared at him, seeming innocent.

"Don't give me that look." He scowled, "If my enemies saw me now, they'd probably cancel the flee-on-sight order given to their subordinates with regards to me." Naruaki looked amused and Yondaime glared at him, "Yeah, yeah. Laugh all you want. One day, your turn will come too. Let's see how macho you look when you are trying to put your infant son to sleep, Mr. 'I-am-so-cool-I-shit-ice'!"

Minato paused while Naruaki looked at him oddly, "Forget I said that."

Naruaki raised a brow. "It's wasn't _that_ lame!"

The younger Namikaze's lips twitched and Minato sighed, "Okay, maybe it was a little." Naruaki raised a brow once againand Minato scowled at him, "Fine! It was lame but just you wait, once I get my groove back, I'll once against be the cool and smooth Namikaze Minato."

Naruaki tilted his head to the side, observing him as though he was an idiot. "I'm not an idiot!" Minato exclaimed, glaring at him and Naruaki resisted the urge to scoff. "I'm not! How dare you, didn't anyone teach you to respect your elders?"

Naruaki gave him a dull look. Minato frowned at him, "Geez, you make me feel so old." The former ANBU general raised a brow, _again_. "I'm not old! I'll have you know that I'm not even thirty! I just said you _ma…_"

"Yondaime-sama," Naruaki spoke for the first time, giving the Yondaime a disinterested stare, "I do believe that you should go back to sleep." He stood up gracefully and walked over his father, taking the restless baby from him, "The lack of sleep has addled your mind."

"Addled?" Minato sputtered as he was gently escorted out of the library, "Who's the adult here!" he asked indignantly.

Naruaki smiled a saccharine smile, "Obviously not you." He stated before pushing his father into his room firmly. "I'll put Naruto to bed. You have work tomorrow and I don't. So go to sleep."

Minato huffed but nodded, collapsing onto the bed, his eyes already shut. Naruaki raised a brow before looking down at the baby in his arms. "You're far less noisy than I expected you to be." All he got in reply was watery eyes and quivering little lips. "Yes, yes, little prince." He murmured as he closed the door to his father's room and walked out of the mansion into the garden. He kept his senses open and alert as he gently patted on the baby's back, humming quietly, "Go to sleep now…" he whispered into the child's ear, "You need to sleep to grow, to be strong and fit."

Naruto gave a large yawn and it was so cute that Naruaki had to chuckle. "See, you're sleepy, just being stubborn and giving everyone trouble." He murmured in amusement, tapping Naruto's nose in slight reprimand.

The baby only yawned in response and Naruaki smirked a bit. He kept speaking, spinning tall, nonsensical tales while little Naruto relaxed at the sound of his deep, soothing baritone voice.

Soon, Naruto had dozed off and Naruaki relaxed on the engawa, unaware of spying eyes watching his every movement.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: Guardian of Fire.**

**Author: Agni**

**Warnings: AU, Time travel, a bit of OOC but not too much. **

**AN: Okay, I am, in this chapter working on the assumption that Orochimaru left Konoha somewhere around ten years before he attacked Konoha during the Chunin exams. I don't know when he exactly leaves Konoha so I will go with that. Forgive me if you do not agree with that but since I have integrated it into the plot, I cannot remove it without some very significant changes. Sorry about that.**

**Secondly, I do not dislike Tsunade, as some might believe from this chapter, nor do I consider bashing her. She is, in fact, one of the coolest female characters in Naruto for me. **

**Thirdly, those who are expecting Naruaki to get involved in a relationship now, forget about it. He will not seriously consider any woman until he is in his mid-twenties. He will be too busy for that.**

**Fourthly, just because Naruaki is skilled does not mean he is more powerful than Yondaime and a few others. He still has a long way to go before he can be on par with Yondaime for anything excluding Fuuin Jutsu. He is smart, adaptable and rather shrewd when it comes to politics but **_**not**_** on par with Yondaime. That man did not become the Hokage for nothing. Moreover, he will be working up the ranks. In addition, he does not have more authority than Yondaime. The fourth Hokage is simply indulging Naruaki now and when it comes to serious matters, he will use his authority as the Hokage and a father over Naruaki.**

**Chapter Rewrite Date: April 14, 2011**

* * *

-_**Four**_-

* * *

_Dazed._

_That was how he felt. He didn't know how many potent drugs had been injected into his body. It felt weak and heavy and he knew that if he decided to fight his way out, his body wouldn't respond as it was supposed to. _

_He didn't know how long he had been kept here, in this white, white room with a single bed and four blindingly bright walls. His eyes were hurting and he hadn't been able to sleep properly in the impossibly bright room._

_He was tired._

_He couldn't recall a single moment in his life when he felt so miserable and helpless. His mind was clouded with worry, anger and guilt while he sat alone, staring off into space. Every now and then, someone would come into the room and give him another drug… all in the name of healing him of course. He was still wounded from his battle against Pein and then Danzo's ANBU Root._

_His prison, something that Danzo called a training facility, was an effective tool to brainwash others and had Naruto not been so stubborn, he would've given in._

_It was tempting… almost too tempting to simply let the man win._

"_Naruto-kun." A calm and soothing voice of his '__**trainer**__' caught his attention, "I hate to see you like this." He said in a voice that held concern but Naruto knew that the man was an actor par excellence. "Naruto-kun, please look at me." He pleaded softly and Naruto's icy blue eyes landed on the man. _

_His trainer was a soft, wise looking man. His black hair contained a hint of grey in them; his eyes were brown and warm. It was a kind face, very deceptive. "Naruto-kun, if you examine your own life closely you would understand why Danzo-sama states that Konoha has become weak under the influence of Sandaime-sama and Godaime-sama." He stated gently, "Just think, Naruto-kun. You, the Jinchuuriki of the greatest of all Tailed beasts, were simply abandoned." The man shook his head, "So much of power, gone to waste. You should've been trained, nurtured, given the means to channel that power and use it for Konoha." He said._

"_Weapon…" Naruto whispered, clenching his fist._

"_No." the man stated gently, "Not a weapon but a good shinobi. You love Konoha, Naruto-kun. It's your home, it has your precious people in it, and it's a village your father gave his life for. You love it and wish to be able to protect it." He smiled at Naruto that spine-chilling, deceptive smile. He placed a file in front of Naruto, "It took you mere hours to master Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, just few weeks to learn the Rasengan. You mastered the Sage mode and went beyond your predecessors. Danzo-sama knows that you've surpassed Jiraiya-sama." The man shook his head, a look of disbelief carefully placed on his face, "So much raw talent and everyone ignored it. Your own teacher, Hatake Kakashi, ignored this skill in favor of the traitorous and mentally unbalanced Uchiha." _

_Naruto snarled. "Don't talk about Sasuke." His voice coming out in the form of a husky croak. _

_The man frowned and glanced at another person at the corner of the room. The girl, beautiful of course, and innocent looking as well, stepped forwards and offered him a glass of water. He didn't care to consider the possibility that the water was drugged. He was too thirsty to think about that._

"_Naruto-kun," he started again, "Jiraiya-sama recognized your talent while everyone else ignored it. He nurtured that talent but everyone knows that while he was a good teacher, his method of teaching wasn't appropriate for someone like you, someone so brilliant and creative. You needed to be pushed. You needed larger resources, better, sterner teachers." He leaned forward, his brown eyes intent on Naruto, "Remember your days in the academy, Naruto-kun. Remember your days in the orphanage where Sandaime-sama just left you in the care of those ignorant, hateful people. No one taught you what you needed to be taught. They were too afraid of your power, your potential. You deserved so much more."_

_Naruto snorted, his eyes heavy-lidded as he stared at the white walls, his trainer's words inevitably bringing forth the bad memories of his childhood. "Sandaime-sama visited you, favored you but was it enough? The most powerful man in Konoha and he wasn't able to stop all that mental and emotional abuse? Why didn't he place you somewhere safe, a place where you would've been taught, taken care of and appreciated? Visiting you once or twice a month was enough? Don't you find his behavior a bit irresponsible? You and your father sacrificed so much for this village and he still didn't do anything to ensure your well-being except for passing a feeble law that was rather ineffective. Don't you see the injustice, the lack of thought in his actions?"_

_Naruto's eyes closed, "Yes." He conceded and the man in front of him smiled. _

"_You deserve so much more." He whispered, "Danzo-sama has always stated that you were special and you needed to be treated that way. Konoha needs strong, loyal shinobi who are willing to protect the village at all costs." He looked serious, "You must realize that there's a need for discipline and order." He stated, "We keep losing powerful shinobi like Orochimaru, Uchiha Sasuke and so on… we lose them because they've forgotten loyalty, they've forgotten that their ambitions and their quest for power causes harm to our beloved village. You must understand that such behavior was partially encouraged by Sandaime-sama's soft hearted ways." _

_Naruto looked at him and the trainer frowned, "We have forgotten our roots, Naruto-kun. Our village is a military organization formed to protect the fire country. How can we do our duty if we allow our ninja to go scot-free like that?" The trainer's eyes were keen and resolute. "Our ninja need to be loyal. They need to be strong and well-trained." He sneered, "They don't need to chase deranged cats across Konoha. They need to learn how to cope with the outside world. They need to start cultivating the skills that are needed to become a ninja and the sooner they learn to do that, the better." _

"_You're trying to turn me against Sandaime and Godaime's ideals." Naruto said with sudden strength, surprised to realize they hadn't re-administered those highly potent drugs. Kyuubi was slowly removing their influence._

_The man nodded, unfazed by the sharpness in Naruto's eyes. "Your loyalty to Konoha is admirable, Naruto-kun." He said, "And Danzo-sama loathes causing you so much trouble but you need to understand that you're too powerful and influential for us to let you go." He said, looking at Naruto in the eye, "Your goals are similar to Danzo-sama's goals. You wish for the well-being of Konoha and so does Danzo-sama. The only difference is the fact that Danzo-sama has a more rigid manner when it comes to dealing with his subordinates." Naruto raised as brow, rubbing his temples to ward of his pounding headache as the man continued, "I realize that Danzo-sama isn't perfect." He murmured earnestly, "But at least he errs on the side of caution. He only wishes to stop the weakness that he sees in our ranks and you know that there's a weakness… you've suffered because of it with both the surviving Uchiha and Orochimaru." _

_The man in front of him leaned forward, "You've been raised to be loyal to Sandaime and consequently Godaime and therefore you can't see their faults. However, you're an intelligent, observant man even though you don't show it. You must realize that you've been manipulated by circumstances. Danzo-sam-"_

"_You talk too much." Naruto interrupted irritably, a faint scowl on his features as he combed his fingers through his hair. Despite himself, he could see what the man was trying to say. His only contention with Danzo was the fact that he didn't know what he had done to Tsunade and his other friends. _

"_Let me think about this." Naruto whispered and the man before him nodded. _

"_Of course." He stated generously and placed a file in front of Naruto, "There are facts in this file that would make things clearer for you." He whispered, "Please consider the information carefully and without bias."_

_Naruto nodded absently, already pursuing the file._

_The man observed him for a while before walking out of the room and closing the door soundly behind him. _

_It was only then that Naruto relaxed a bit. He kept on the pretense of perusing the file. His eyes roamed over the words but he didn't register them. Inwardly, he was considering his situation. _

_Danzo had taken over Konoha when it was weak. That was guaranteed to piss of many people and the old bastard couldn't just arrest everyone who opposed him. He assumed that Tsunade was in custody. Logically, it was obvious that Danzo wouldn't kill Tsunade. Despite being a well-known healer and admired for her skills, she wasn't exactly considered the prime candidate for a Hokage. Her tendency to gamble and drown herself in sake was legendry and everyone knew that she had abandoned Konoha once and that wasn't something most were willing to forgive, despite her reasons. _

_Many didn't consider her a competent Hokage. She wasn't as respected as Sandaime and Yondaime had been. Naruto was certain that it wouldn't take much for Danzo to gain the favor of the civilians and the daimyo. If he killed Tsunade, it would lead to uncertainty and fear and he wouldn't want that when he was trying to gain everyone's favor._

_However, Danzo needed someone on his side who had the respect of the ninja population, specifically, the younger generation of powerful clan heirs. _

_Naruto frowned as he recalled the manner in which the people of Konoha had roared in rage when Danzo had apprehended him. It was clear that he finally had the respect and loyalty of Konoha. Both the ninja and the civilian factions were enraged when Danzo had his ANBU confront him. _

_They had become all too aware of the number of times Naruto had risked his life for Konoha's benefit. _

_Danzo wanted to use him. If Naruto was on his side then many would follow. _

_Naruto scowled in thought as he turned a page in the report. He was careful to maintain his pretense of reading it. There was an opportunity here for him. Almost everyone knew that Tsunade had her eye on him as the possible candidate for being the Hokage once he was old enough. His turn would have probably been after Kakashi but he knew that he was very close to achieving that dream before Danzo took over. _

_What he planned would require subtlety and slyness that Naruto readily admitted he lacked. However, he had no other choice. He was well aware that Tsunade was in danger and Sakura probably was apprehended too since she was Tsunade's apprentice. Naruto wasn't ready to lose another teammate but if he needed to help anyone, he needed to be out of here and in Danzo's good graces._

_Besides, he was willing to give Danzo the benefit of a doubt. If he screwed up, Naruto would find a way to get rid of him._

_Naruto had severely underestimated Danzo._

* * *

"Naruaki." The young Namikaze raised his eyes towards his frowning father, giving no indication of his previous thoughts. "Why are you studying that seal so intently?" he narrowed his eyes, "You aren't planning to use it again, are you?"

Naruaki shook his head gracefully, "I've made a mistake and am trying to find a way to correct it."

Yondaime paled a bit. A mistake while performing the Command of Time seal would have grave consequences. "Mistake?" he asked faintly.

Naruaki nodded, his fever even more apparent by the flush on his cheeks. He pinned Minato with an intelligent stare, "You understand the basic premise of Command of time seal, don't you?" he asked softly, "You must have come across it a few times when you were learning Fuuin jutsu."

Yondaime nodded in agreement and Naruaki sighed, "When the seal transports you to a different time, it alters you." He stood and gestured Yondaime to look at his ankle. There was a small seal on it, "The seal leaves behind a part of it on the body of the one being transported." He murmured, watching as his father knelt down before him and examined the seal.

"I've never encountered this in my research." Minato murmured thoughtfully.

"That's because Command of time seal is too powerful and dangerous to be used by just anyone." He stated, "A part of the knowledge about it is hidden." Naruaki frowned as he searched for the right words to explain. "Consider the seal a sort of living entity." He shook his head, "Or rather consider it something that is programmed to analyze a person's intentions. If the intention is, if I'm to use a word, _pure_, then the true knowledge of how to perform the seal is given to the person."

"You mean to say that no one who intends to cause harm can use the seal?" Minato asked in surprise and Naruaki nodded, frowning at the scroll on the desk.

"Ingenious." Minato whispered and Naruaki scoffed in agreement.

"Ingenious is right." He murmured. "I've used it once and I _still_ can't figure out how it works." He admitted before looking at Minato, "This is a very old seal… probably predates all the seals that we know now and we don't know who created it." He gestured towards the seal on his leg, "I figured out _why_ this is here."

Minato arched a brow in question while Naruaki frowned a bit. "This is basically a fail-safe. When I used the Command of Time seal, the price I paid was my identity." He traced the seal design, a scholarly light entering his eyes. "I _cannot_ be Uzumaki/Namikaze Naruto. I can't think of myself as Uzumaki Naruto nor can I take his place in this world." He stated and Minato grew confused. "This little seal erases my identity, soon I'll start losing everything that I did as Naruto. My memories, my skills, my relationships, the name that I use for myself, my _true_ name… I'll lose all of it." He laughed humorously, "Hell, I'll lose the color of my eyes and my hair as well… everything that identifies me as Uzumaki/Namikaze Naruto will be gone."

Yondaime paled, his eyes wide as he observed Naruaki, "Tha… that's impossible!"

"Time travel is supposed to be impossible." Naruaki murmured dryly before shaking his head. "That's why I said that I did a mistake." He gestured towards himself, "I ignored the fact that I felt weak and feverish, thinking that it was because Kyuubi was removed from me but I was wrong." He narrowed his eyes, "Removing Kyuubi did affect me but the consequences of that have mingled with the consequences of performing the seal and I can't distinguish between the two."

He brought out a blank paper and started drawing a seal on it. Minato leaned forward and observed what Naruaki was doing, trying to ignore the panic that was boiling in his chest. "The Command of Time seal actually has an auxiliary seal to it." He finished drawing the auxiliary seal on paper. The design was crude and hastily drawn but it served its purpose. "This seal is called _Reforge._" He explained, "Essentially, I need the help of a blood relative to create a new identity in this world. The seal on my ankle will only break after I use the _Reforge _seal." He frowned, "I knew that I had to establish a new identity but I didn't know that I actually needed to use a seal for that."

Minato shook his head, combing his fingers through his hair, "I don't understand any of this."

Naruaki sighed, "Let me explain this in the simplest of terms." He gestured towards the seal on his ankle, "This seal is like a ticking time-bomb. The moment I successfully traveled through time, this seal was formed on me. It will be on me until I… no _you_ perform the auxiliary seal to anchor me here and provide me with a new identity that is separate from Uzumaki/Namikaze Naruto." He looked into his father's eyes, "Performing the Reforge seal on me would mean that you're basically adopting me, it depends on what want you want me to be, your brother or your son." Naruaki snorted, "Think of it this way, when a person changes his name, everything that he owns comes under that name. His bank accounts, his home, his children and family and friends, his very _soul._" He looked serious, "Now, a person has an identity because there are others who acknowledge his identity. If a man changes his name and others refuse to accept it and still call him by his previous name, the change of name and identity becomes ineffective."

Minato nodded, "So you mean to say that the Reforge seal that I perform will convince that fail-safe seal that you've established a different identity here that's separate from Uzumaki/Namikaze Naruto and I, as your blood relative, have accepted it. Once that's done, that seal will stop erasing your existence in this timeline and break? I'm basically adopting you and naming you Namikaze Naruaki by using the Reforge seal?"

Naruaki nodded and Minato's eyes widened, "I don't think I want to know who was brilliant and particular enough to come up with such a seal." He murmured.

Naruaki smirked faintly before sighing, "We need to do this as soon as possible but you need to understand one thing about performing a seal of such caliber." He looked at Minato with narrowed eyes, satisfied to see that his father was paying attention, "This isn't simply a technique… it is so much more than that. There are three elements to it." He held up on finger, "The first is blood that represents your physical connection with me. I am your son and I have inherited many things from you. That's a very potent connection and therefore the seal must be drawn in your blood that is given without hesitation."

Minato nodded and Naruaki continued, "Second is chakra. That's a spiritual connection that we share and in this case we're lucky since both of us as similar chakra. Both of us possess wind chakra. That too must be given without hesitation on your part." He then looked at his father in the eye, "The last is the effort and will that you put into the seal. You must truly believe that I'm as precious to you as you claim." He murmured, ducking his head in slight embarrassment, "You must choose what's more comfortable for you, me being your son or me being your brother. If you, even for a moment while performing the seal, show doubt, there would be consequences that I don't wish to think about."

Minato looked at Naruaki in return, his blue eyes serious, "You must trust me with this." He said softly, "I promise that I'll perform it properly." He assured, "I won't let you fade away."

Naruaki observed Minato for a while before nodding. He tossed a scroll at him, "I've written down a detailed description of the seal. There are diagrams explaining everything that you need to know. Go through that thoroughly. From start to end, you'll be the one to perform the seal."

Minato unfurled the scroll while Naruaki stood and walked out of the room. He wanted to get some sleep.

* * *

"It's not a problem at all, Hokage-sama." Mikoto smiled, Naruto cooing softly in her arms. She politely ignored the sheepish yet charming look on the young Hokage's face, concealing her amusement.

Minato nodded gratefully, "Thank you, Mikoto-san." he reached forward to tickle his little son's belly, "I keep burdening you with this…" he sighed softly, a sad light entering his eyes, "I admit that I'm a bit lost. Naruaki's health isn't improving even though he tries to hide it and I have work and I can't leave Naruto with him." He combed his fingers through his hair nervously, "I realize that I'm not being much of a father but there isn't much I can do right now." He whispered regretfully.

Mikoto's eyes softened with pity, "Minato-kun…" she whispered soothingly, seeing her treasured friend's husband looking so helpless was upsetting for her. "Everything will turn out alright." She assured, "Right now you're dealing with a lot of things and it isn't easy for you. Neither Fugaku nor I mind having Naruto with us." She said without hesitation, looking down at the baby in her arms with a motherly smile, "And Sasuke and Itachi have started to grow a bit attached to him." She murmured in amusement, thankful to see the relieved smile on his face, "I'm afraid soon you'll never get to keep Naruto to yourself." She giggled lightly, "Itachi is always watching him protectively and Sasuke tends to latch onto him if they're sleeping together in one bed."

Minato chuckled, "That's a relief." He bowed to her, "I'm very grateful." He glanced at his wrist watch, "I must leave." He murmured regretfully, "Thank you for your assistance, Mikoto-san."

As Minato started walking back towards his home, a ninja came up to him and started to walk alongside him casually.

"I received several reports from my ANBU." The man said softly and Minato simply glanced at him. "They've informed me in detail about our new recruit and his strength."

"Is that so?" Minato asked, waving at the children who brightened up at the sight of him, smiling at their enthusiastic calls but not pausing in his stride. "And what are your thoughts?"

The man's lips twitched, "Cunning." He murmured, "He's leading us on, Minato. He's a true ANBU and like any true ANBU, he'll use only what's needed to perform the missions. Skilled but we don't know how powerful he is and how he would deal with fighting powerful opponents face to face." The man looked at his superior from the corner of his eyes, "I suggest we have him fight someone strong head-on to see just how capable he is."

Minato inclined his head a little in acknowledgement, "Very well."

The other man paused, his sharp green eyes amused, "You must be proud, Minato." He smirked, "You've given me a fine heir."

Minato chuckled, looking at the sky. "Ah, let's not jump the gun, shall we, General?" he murmured, "I'm impressed with the skills he has displayed so far but he is too young, despite what he thinks, to take on so much responsibility."

The other man nodded, his eyes glimmering calculatingly, "Yes, knowledge of what is to happen would weigh on his mind, making him feel responsible for things that he has no control over."

Minato hummed in agreement, "For now, I'll give him complete freedom to do as he wishes with that knowledge. He would know the consequences of his own actions better than I."

The ANBU arched a silver brow in question, "You trust him that much?"

Minato frowned, "My boy has this innate sense of justice, Sousuke." He murmured, "And the tendency to feel as though he needs to protect everyone and save everyone, even at the cost of his own well being." He glanced at him, "That, my friend, is why I trust him."

"And I trust your judgment." The other man stated, his voice held loyalty that came only after years of solid friendship.

Minato smiled at that. "Even if you do, I'll be placing my son in your care, Sousuke. You need to see if he is worth your time." He looked at the silver haired man, "I'll inform you as soon as I can arrange something." He assured, "I need to deal with a few things first."

"Of course." Sousuke murmured gracefully before he glanced at something out of the corner of his eyes. "You were always popular, Minato." He smiled, "Especially amongst those shy, secretive girls." The tall general smirked, "Now it seems, they will have another mystery to solve. I've seen a few sneaking glances at Naruaki."

Minato suppressed his instinctual reaction with expert ease, smiling at his friend in amusement. The underlying message in his ANBU general's statement wasn't lost on him. "He is rather interesting."

Green eyes narrowed dangerously, hidden by a curtain to silky silver hair and Minato raised a brow, "They are gone." He murmured, a displeased scowl on his face. He glanced at the shadowed corner and gestured vaguely. Minato caught sight of an ANBU quickly leaving his hiding place and pursuing the unknown spy. "Someone is getting too bold. Take care of your family, Minato." Sousuke warned, "Iwa obviously knows of Naruaki now. Just a few nights ago, one of my men caught an Iwa missing-nin by your manor. They would love nothing more than getting their hands on one of your sons."

Minato frowned in concern, "I think it is high time we start to reevaluate our security." He murmured, "I didn't think it was possible for anyone to simply slip into Konoha without us noticing."

Sousuke nodded in agreement. "Usually, it isn't." he murmured, "However, there are a faction of people within our ranks that aren't under your control, Minato. Because of this there's a weakness in our security."

"_Ne._" He murmured, his icy blue eyes narrowed.

Sousuke nodded, "That and some others." He murmured, an uncharacteristic note of uncertainty in his voice, "This time, Danzo may not be the one to blame…"

Minato arched a brow, "An internal conflict not attributed to him?"

Sousuke shrugged, "Give me some time." He requested, "I'm still trying to unearth this whole thing." He favored Minato with a slight frown, "Did Naruaki say anything with regards to this?"

Minato smiled a fond smile. "Ah…" he chuckled, "He likes to be cryptic." Amused green eyes glanced at him. "He's being cautious about the information he gives me. He simply gives me hints and lets me act on my own accord."

They stopped in front of Yondaime's manor. "I think that's a good thing." Sousuke stated before bowing to Minato mockingly, "Good day, _Hokage-sama._"

Minato chuckled and waved at him as he passed the gates, a wave of chakra caressing him, analyzing him before letting him in. Unfortunately, the security measure didn't prevent others from spying into the manor from outside the compound.

Naruaki was already awake by the time he walked into his home. He was reading a book, looking incredibly relaxed. Minato observed him for a while, carefully keeping his presence unknown. He had spent a lot of time simply observing Naruaki over the past month. The incessant need to know and understand his son drove him to spy on the boy when he was unaware of Yondaime's presence.

He learned much by simply observing him silently. With mixed feelings, he would recognize certain gestures that were remarkably similar to Kushina. The tendency to tap her temple when she was concentrating on something was a habit he had seen Naruaki emulate a number of times.

That careless grace and the flowing, dancer like movements was something he inherited from Kushina as well. A person grew into such elegance and Minato didn't doubt that his son had been very clumsy and uncoordinated when he was younger.

The scowl that he had seen often on Naruaki's lips was a dead ringer of his own. The shape of the eyes was all Kushina but the color and the manner in which they glowed with wisdom was from him.

Small things. Small gestures that were slowly convincing the part of him that was still skeptical that yes, Naruaki really was his son.

There were times he suffered from bouts of disbelief. How could someone so different yet so similar to him exist? How could this jaded, skilled, utterly _incomprehensible_ young man be his son? How many days since Naruaki had barged into his life, saving his life and the life of countless Konoha ninja? It had hardly been a month and it felt it had been a year.

He watched as Naruaki turned a page in his book, silently contemplating him before stepping forward, revealing his presence.

Naruaki's eyes immediately rose to meet his and he arched a brow in silent question. "We should perform the seal." Minato said softly and his son nodded, placing a bookmark in the book and putting it away.

"Are you sure you have memorized everything?" Naruaki asked as they headed towards a spare room that was cleared for their purpose.

Minato nodded in response, holding up a bottle containing certain pills. "I got this from a healer, just incase I lose too much blood." He remembered the large and complex design of the seal they were about to use.

Naruaki nodded in approval, removing his yukata as he stepped into the room, shrugging off the awkwardness of standing in front of his father in only his boxers.

Minato didn't even glance at him as he set about the delicate task of drawing the runes. He slit the palm of his right hand and let the blood come to surface before he started to draw the runes on the floor. Slowly, a vast, spider-web like design started to unravel on the floor. The scent of blood irritated Minato and Naruaki's noses as both pairs of blue eyes focused on the design.

Minato frowned, ignoring the stinging in his hand and looked at Naruaki. "Well, what do you think?"

The younger Namikaze studied the design intently, inwardly marveling at the near perfection of the runes. His father was no slouch; that's for sure. It had taken him mere hours to understand the entire seal. "It's perfect." Naruaki assured as he took his position.

The Yondaime nodded before kneeling down in front of Naruaki and drawing the remaining part of the seal on his body. He drew a circular seal on the top of each foot, and then on each knee, he stood and drew the same circular seal on Naruaki's chest and then his forehead. Naruaki raised his hands so that Yondaime could draw the seal on the inside of his wrists and then he turned around so that he could draw the seals on his lower back and the back of his neck.

"I think that's it." Naruaki murmured and Minato nodded, carefully making his way out of the web and standing the very edge of it. "Let's just hope that there are no adverse effects of this."

Minato narrowed his eyes at Naruaki, "You take too many risks for my liking."

Naruaki shrugged, "Comes with the job."

The Hokage snorted before observing the seal for the last time, checking for imperfections. When he found none, he looked into Naruaki's eyes for a moment before he started to channel chakra into the seal.

There was one terrifying moment when the seal didn't even react to his prodding. He glanced at Naruaki in panic but the boy only raised a brow at him. He gritted his teeth, glaring down at the seal. Trust the brat to be so nonchalant about the situation. He wasn't about to fail. He wouldn't lose his son because he wasn't able to perform one seal.

The seal reacted suddenly and the reaction brought Minato to his knees. He felt as though he was being searched thoroughly. He felt his very soul being evaluated. At that moment, he understood why Naruaki insisted that the seal was different from other seals.

Discarding the thought, he steadily directed his chakra through the seal, watching as the runes shifted and glowed before crawling over Naruaki's body. He followed the movements of the runes, narrowing his eyes to understand the smallest changes. The runes that had been on the floor were now painted on Naruaki, connecting the small seals that Minato had already placed on his son.

It was fascinating. He could see Naruaki's eyes glaze over and his chakra spilled out of control, flaring brightly. The seal glowed bright red, hissing ever so slightly as the runes shifted and adjusted.

Rather unceremoniously, the glowing stopped and Naruaki started to fall forward, his eyes closed. Minato cursed under his breath, rushing forward to catch his son before he could hit the ground.

He sat down, Naruaki's head in his lap and studied the seals that were slowly disappearing. It was as though they were sinking into Naruaki's body. Minato narrowed his eyes as Naruaki's breath hitched for a moment before he settled down.

That was it.

He watched as the seal on Naruaki's ankle snapped and melted away, leaving behind no trace of its existence. He breathed a sigh of relief as he checking the younger Namikaze.

He was suddenly in perfect health.

Minato shook his head in marvel before lifting Naruaki with a grunt. The boy had the slender teenage body but his height was nothing to scoff at and it made it difficult for Minato to carry him properly. He stalked towards Naruaki's room, grumbling about tall, lanky, troublesome brats despite the fact that his lips were twitching in relief.

Being a Hokage had nothing on his new job. Being a father was a hundred times more difficult.

Especially if one of your children was a teenager with careless disregard for his own life.

* * *

"I didn't expect it to be so soon." Sousuke commented when Minato appeared before him, Naruaki appearing moments later, impassively scanning his surroundings. The younger Namikaze had managed to recover within a day and Minato was eager to get the matter of Naruaki's ANBU placement resolved as soon as possible.

The young Hokage glanced at Naruaki, watching as those alert eyes landed on his friend. The youngest amongst the three gave no indication that he recognized the silver-haired ANBU and Minato frowned. Either Naruaki was a very good actor, or he really didn't know Sousuke. That knowledge was troubling for Minato. While he had named Jiraiya as Naruto's godfather, he knew that if something happened to him, Sousuke would take care of his child.

If Naruaki didn't know of Sousuke, it meant that his friend had either gone missing or died in the future.

It troubled Minato more than he would ever admit. On Sandaime's advice, he had decided that he wouldn't question Naruaki but the temptation to do so was great. There were so many factors that his son may not have considered that Minato knew to be important.

However, his predecessor had been correct. No one but Naruaki would know the consequences of his own actions and Yondaime was coming to trust his son's opinion slowly.

"Naruaki." Minato called for the younger Namikaze's attention. "This is Nakagawa Sousuke. Currently, he is the General of the ANBU." He introduced, watching as Naruaki looked at Sousuke in slight surprise before bowing in greeting.

"Sousuke, this is Namikaze Naruaki, as you well know." The General nodded, observing Naruaki with assessing green eyes.

"Naruaki, you must be aware that the missions I assigned you were simply to test your abilities." Minato said as Sousuke relaxed against a tree, observing Naruaki keenly. The younger Namikaze nodded, seeming a bit baffled. "I've decided that you're skilled enough to be an ANBU. However, while your performance in those missions told me a great deal about your skills in Fuuin Jutsu and your ability in espionage and assassination, I'm still unsure about your other skills." Yondaime sighed at Naruaki's frown. "Under normal circumstances, we know almost everything about an ANBU candidate from his instructors, family, mentors and team-mates. Therefore, their performance during test missions is enough to get them into the ANBU and we have enough information to place them in appropriate squads."

He glanced at Sousuke, who nodded in response before looking back at his son. "You, on the other hand, are an unknown entity. I can't possibly contact those who know you best to understand your skills and your level of competence. I don't know where to place you or how you'd be of use to me in emergency situations." At Naruaki's nod of understanding, he smiled, "As your skills are unknown to me, I can't bring myself to trust you when it comes to very important missions. Neither I nor Sousuke can place you in an appropriate squad without knowing just what level you're at."

Naruaki glanced between Yondaime and the General with narrowed eyes. "A spar?"

Sousuke inclined his head gracefully, "Yes, Naruaki-kun." He looked at the youngest amongst them seriously, "We've decided that for us to trust your strength, we need to see it for ourselves." He leaned forward, looking at Naruaki keenly, "You must realize that it isn't only for the ANBU position that we wish to test you so thoroughly." Naruaki raised a brow at that, "Your father is concerned, rightly so, about the task you have given yourself." The General murmured in a low voice, "Both of us wish to help you in anyway we can but we must follow certain rules and norms that could possibly hinder your mission. I'm told that you succeeded me as the ANBU General, isn't that right?"

Naruaki nodded, "Yes."

"Well, as the General, you come under the direct command of the Hokage but until you reach that stage, the council has access to you and that includes Danzo." Sousuke narrowed his eyes in slight distaste. "Since your arrival is so suspicious and the fact that you're related to Minato is well known, you'll be watched closely and that concerns us. You won't have much freedom to use your knowledge to the fullest."

"I realize that." Naruaki stated, slightly surprised by the fact that his father had trusted someone so much that he told him the truth about Naruaki's situation.

He knew that Namikaze Minato didn't trust easily.

"Good." Sousuke nodded firmly, "Giving you too much power and authority right now is very risky and it'll compromise Minato's credibility. Therefore, we'll be doing everything we can to bring you into an influential position without giving anyone a reason to suspect us of ulterior motives." He gestured towards Yondaime with a frown, "As of now, your father is considered to be the most powerful shinobi in Konoha. He's well respected and has the admiration of the civilian and ninja population. Our goal is for you to develop a similar reputation. Once you have integrated yourself into the higher echelons of our power structure, you can carry out your plans with the freedom that you don't have now." He looked at Naruaki with approval, "You've already started taking steps in the right direction. From what I've gathered, most consider you a subdued and a more silent version of your father. Moreover, taking Uchiha Itachi as an apprentice was a good move even if you had other reasons for it. This puts you in the good books with the Uchiha clan."

"Which," Naruaki pointed out dryly, "would possibly put me in the bad books with the Hyuuga clan." Shaking his head a little and nodded, "I understand what you're trying to say, sir. I didn't expect to have the same influence that I had before. What I have in mind would take years for subtle planning and actions."

Sousuke tilted his head to the side and smirked faintly. "You're very interesting." He glanced at Minato before looking back at Naruaki, "You definitely didn't inherit your intelligence from this baka." He stated, gesturing towards Yondaime.

"Oi!"

Naruaki chuckled, "Believe me, sir. This isn't something I inherited but rather developed."

"Don't go ganging up on me." Minato scowled at them, "You're supposed to defend me and be on my side!" he frowned at Naruaki, "I'm your father." He turned and narrowed his eyes on the General, "And I'm your best friend!"

"That doesn't make you any less stupid." Sousuke commented dryly and Naruaki smirked.

"Are we going to spar or not?" Minato asked petulantly.

Naruaki's hand immediately went to the hilt of the sword on his back when he noticed that Sousuke had a sword with him as well. He narrowed his eyes but Minato stopped him before the younger one could make any assumptions. "You'll be fighting me. Sousuke is here just to observe."

Naruaki stilled and looked at his father with a raised brow. He observed Minato keenly for a moment, his eyes sharp before a slow smirk formed on his lips. "This will be interesting."

Minato narrowed his eyes in response, his demeanor now serious and attentive.

"Let me tell you something." Naruaki whispered as he settled into a stance, his hand still on the hilt of his sword, "Whatever you can do, I can as well. Rasengan…" he waved his hand dismissively, "I have known it since I was thirteen. Frog summon is the same though I'm certain I can't summon them anymore. However, as I was tied to them previously and they haven't declared me an enemy, they can't harm me." He smirked at the startled look in the Hokage's eyes, "And _Hiraishin…_" his smirk widened, "Is a _piece of cake._"

Minato glanced at Sousuke, not surprised to see the General standing straight in attention at Naruaki's confession. He looked back at his son, his eyes glowing even as his lips curled into a smirk at the challenge. "That's not all I know, boy… those are just a few things that I'm famous for." He pushed aside the feeling of pride that threatened to overwhelm him.

Rasengan at _thirteen. _How wonderful was that… his son was a little prodigy.

"Well," Naruaki drawled, "You don't know much about me, either." He smirked, a sharp sound of his sword being drawn ringing in their ears.

Both father and son grinned before their forms blurred as they moved at impressive speeds.

Minato had come prepared for sparing against his sword-bearing son. He had been an ANBU at one point of time and all ANBU were trained to know the basics of KenJutsu.

It started out simple, as simple as it could be between two highly skilled opponents. Neither gave an inch. Naruaki's stamina and strength coupled with that nearly blinding speed would have overwhelmed many but Minato reacted instinctively and easily.

Naruaki would need much more than that to make him sweat.

The younger blonde stilled for a moment, looking at Minato with glowing blue eyes before he stood straight. "I guess you're serious." He whispered before all emotions and life faded from his face.

Slowly and gracefully, he slipped into a stance, his eyes narrowed and calculating. The changed the grip he had on his sword before taking a small step forward.

Then he _disappeared_.

'_Wonderful._' Minato thought to himself, reacting just in time to catch Naruaki's sword with his own. '_This is clearly beyond even young Hayate's caliber._' He analyzed as Naruaki kept him on the defensive. Minato smirked and somersaulted the moment Naruaki dropped to the ground, his sword a white blur as it moved to damage Yondaime's legs.

Naruaki raised a brow, impressed by the fast reaction. The last stunt was a gamble and it failed; now he was the one who had to defend.

His father was no slouch.

The loud noises of steel meeting steel rang throughout the training ground. It was clear that it was a stalemate. Naruaki, even though he used the sword was no KenJutsu master. Sousuke could see that he needed more polish. His technique was effective against amateurs and people like Yondaime who were marginally skilled with the sword but masters of KenJutsu would defeat him, it would take effort and concentration on their part but they would defeat him.

"Let's test this, shall we?" Minato murmured as removed a scroll from his kunai pouch. Naruaki's eyes narrowed as he spied the kanji before he hissed and bit his thumb, tapping his bloody fingers against a couple of invisible seals on his body.

Immediately, his body started to feel lighter, more agile.

Just in time since the entire clearing was now littered with familiar looking kunai. Naruaki felt his lips twitch. He could use Hiraishin too but it would defeat the purpose of the whole battle. His father needed to know just how skilled he was and it wasn't going to happen if they kept dancing about.

His father's signature technique was amazing to watch. It wasn't the same to perform it and witness it. This was his father's greatest achievement and it was breathtaking to watch him perform it. There was no forewarning. Nothing could keep track of his father's movements. The complex time-space jutsu was nearly incomprehensible to those who couldn't perform it.

Moving from one place to another in a blink of an eye, leaving behind virtually no trace, his father's movements were impossible to predict.

Naruaki, of course, reacted instinctively. His body far too accustomed to spars at such high levels of speed. However, he was well aware that the speed of Hiraishin _increased _as time passed.

True enough. Soon, his father's technique was surpassing Naruaki's natural, hard-earned speed. Despite, the imminent defeat that the younger Namikaze could already see in the future, he was enjoying himself. He smirked, a taunting, sinister light entering his eyes. As he tried to keep up with the constant imperceptible flashes of movement and steel, the fingers of his unoccupied hand started twitching. Naruaki had more tricks up his sleeve than just Fuuin Jutsu and KenJutsu.

"Katon: Tsunami no Jutsu."

There was a loud roar of flames and Minato swore an oath, tossing a tri-pronged kunai into the sky and moving quickly off the ground. Fire swept throughout the clearing like a giant, destructive wave, extinguishing everything in its path.

The smirk on Naruaki's lips widened sinisterly as he vanished from his spot, his sword meeting Yondaime's again as the Hokage somewhat unsteadily defended himself. Blue eyes met blue.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." He whispered, this time using no seals and a large number of clones appeared, all of them concentrating on Yondaime as the real Naruaki landed on the charred ground, looking at the burnt Hiraishin kunai with distinct pleasure. There were no seals on them now.

His father's famed technique had just been temporarily thwarted. He was well aware that the Yondaime would place a tracking seal on him with simply a touch.

Naruaki heard a faint chuckle from the General but he ignored it in the favor of concentrating on his father. Yondaime had disposed off all his clones with ridiculous ease and was now looking down at him, those sharp blue eyes were calculating.

This was a war veteran.

Naruaki shifted his stance.

'_Well, so am I._' he thought to himself. He watched his father sheath his sword and toss it at the General and understood that they were taking the battle to a higher level.

Naruaki put his sword away with lot more reverence than his father did, sealing it inside a scroll instead of giving his treasure to the General. He bounced on his heals a little, the weight seals on his body had faded away completely at last.

His body was naturally more agile and swift when the weight seals were off. He had designed his seals in such a way that the weight was released slowly, over time. That prevented him from losing command over his body. It prevented him from over-compensating or being stiff.

That was a good thing because his father attacked immediately.

His father's TaiJutsu was definitely superior to his own. Graceful and precise in ways Naruaki's never was. What Naruaki lacked in refinement, he made up in experience and sheer unpredictability.

Minato was surprised by Naruaki's skillful use of clones. There were so many of them, all of them concentrated on attacking and overwhelming him. He had started the spar with the intention of learning more about Naruaki's skills but he was learning much about himself as well. He realized that he had come to rely on his prized Hiraishin jutsu a bit too much. Battling Naruaki's clones was like battling against multiple opponents and it seemed as though he had come to rely on Hiraishin solely when it came to battling against multiple opponents.

'_Such mastery over such a mundane jutsu._' Minato thought as he concentrated on disabling the clones as well as being on the lookout for the real Naruaki. '_The clones fight as though they're individuals, each with their own tactics and jutsu._' He observed, '_I can't imagine how much he must have worked with them to develop such a complex style of combat._'

"Rasengan!" Minato dodged as soon as he heard the word, watching with pride as his son performed the technique to perfection. It was such intense pleasure to see the young man following his footsteps. He would've loved to think that Naruaki had inherited everything from him. From his looks, to his smiles and his skills but he couldn't discount Kushina's contribution.

The more time Minato spent with his son, the more he saw Kushina in him. The unpredictability of his attacks, the wild and overwhelming techniques that he used, the calculation and imagination behind every move was so reminiscent of Kushina's style that Minato suffered a moment of nostalgia over it.

NinJutsu was something that Minato was most concerned about. Naruaki had confessed that he did not know if he had retained his proficiency for NinJutsu after Kyuubi was removed. He wasn't aware of his chakra capacity and how long he could last in a NinJutsu battle.

He gathered his chakra and took a deep breath.

"Katon: Karyuu Endan!"

Naruaki dogged, his fingers already forming seals, "Futon: Kazekiri no Jutsu!" (Wind Cutter). A large blade of wind was formed, slicing through the fire technique easily, even though the wind element was naturally weak against fire.

Naruaki quickly followed its path, "Futon: Rasengan." He whispered, the miniature and less deadly version of Rasenshuriken forming on the palm of his hand. He had perfected this technique after he mastered Rasenshuriken when it realized that he could use that as an offensive but less chakra consuming jutsu.

Minato barely dodged it, small blades of wind leaving behind cuts on his arm and shoulder. He skidded into a stop a small distance away from Naruaki, examining his bleeding arm. Naruaki had purposefully avoided hitting his father with the deadly technique, as his aim had only been to incapacitate.

The Hokage narrowed his eyes at his son. That had just been a glancing blow and left enough damage cut through his clothes and leave behind deep scratches. Head on, that attack would have been deadly.

His couldn't get his head around the fact that his son had _improved_ upon the Rasengan. He started fighting in earnest, wanting to push Naruaki to his limits, wanting to see just how strong his son was.

His efforts were rewarded. Naruaki was breathtaking. His fingers seemed to only twitch and several Kage Bunshin would appear in the clearing, distracting him. He primarily used Futon jutsu, devastating in their power and precision. Naruaki's level of mastery of his elemental chakra impressed Minato. For a young boy of eighteen to be able to achieve such perfection in Futon jutsu was quite amazing.

"Raiton: Rairyuu No Tatsumaki." Minato watched as his dragon roared towards Naruaki, who scowled.

What happened next blew him away.

"Futon: Rasenshuriken!"

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Sousuke stand up straight. His eyes were wide as he observed at shuriken-like jutsu completely obliterated the dragon and the clone that was carrying it as though it was nothing. The powerful technique expanded in mid-air, slicing through the dragon before moving on, not even losing an ounce of its power, destroying several trees and rocks before it dissipated.

He looked at Naruaki, stunned while icy blue stared back at him. His son seemed to be sweating and exhausted but not tired enough to give up the fight.

Naruaki narrowed his eyes and launched himself at Minato. The Hokage reacted immediately, withholding a wince when he realized that even Naruaki's glancing blows seemed to do some amount of damage.

They moved in a blur, at speeds that not even most Jounin could accomplish. It was finally down to the least fancy of all ninja arts. A spar based on pure, instinctual TaiJutsu. Both of them got lost in the mindless rhythm of exchanging blows. Their hands moved without a single thought, his bodies shifting from one stance to another based simply on muscle-memory developed through years of training.

Naruaki could see the ache of stress slowly develop in his body. He could feel the sweat rolling down his heated back, he was aware of the small drop of blood moving down the side of his face from the cut on his temple. It was impossible not to feel pressured or impressed by his father. No matter what he tried, that man didn't budge. He gave back just as good as he got.

He could feel himself slipping slowly and knew that his loss was eminent. However, judging by the proud gleam in his father's eyes, Naruaki knew that Minato wasn't disappointed in him.

He let out a startled gasp when Minato's fist landed heavily on his stomach, causing him to slam against the ground painfully. He winced, coughing as his father landing on top of him, pinning him with a kunai pressed against his neck.

He had lost.

Naruaki took a deep, shuddering breath and looked up at the Hokage, watching as those sharp blue eyes softened. "Well done." Minato whispered, moving his kunai away and reaching forward to comb his fingers through Naruaki's hair affectionately, "Very well done."

Naruaki chuckled and let his head fall back, gazing at the sky, his eyes glittering in immense satisfaction. "That was brilliant." He whispered hoarsely, "Man dad…" he said in a rare moment of candidness, "You're awesome."

Minato stilled, looking at his exhausted son with a surprised smile. Naruaki was unaware that this was the first time in nearly a month that he had addressed Yondaime's so informally. The only occasion that came close to this was when Naruaki called him '_father_'.

The Hokage's smile grew as he pulled his son to his feet, his worried eyes examining the boy's wounds. "So, Sousuke," he glanced at his best friend with a raised brow, "What do you think of Naruaki?"

Calculating green eyes looked at the younger Namikaze for a long moment before the General smirked, "After that performance, I don't think I'm going to let anyone else get their hands on him."

He turned toward Naruaki and smiled, impressed, "Your chakra capacity is well above Kage level as it is. It doesn't seem as though Kyuubi's extraction has affected that too much."

Naruaki shrugged with a small, pleased smile, "I'm glad for it." He admitted, "My NinJutsu library requires a lot of chakra. It's good to know that my large chakra capacity isn't due to Kyuubi."

The General nodded at Naruaki, "Welcome to the ANBU forces, Naruaki-kun. You'll be placed in Unit 4 whose captain is scheduled to retire in three months. You'll be under his guidance for the duration of those three months before you take over his position." He handed Minato's sword back to him, "From this moment on, you will also be my apprentice. I've analyzed your strengths and weaknesses and believe that I can take your skills a step further… especially when it comes to KenJutsu."

Naruaki nodded, stretching his sore muscles with a sigh. '_I'm going to feel this keenly tomorrow._' He thought to himself, gingerly placing a hand on his bruised stomach.

Sousuke knelt before him and started healing his wounds with a small, amused smirk on his face. "Taking you to the hospital would be unwise. The healers will have your father's head this. In their opinion, you should have rested longer." Naruaki watched as the General's glowing hands hovered over his injuries but they were slowly healing on their own. Not really as fast as they did when he had the Kyuubi, but at an abnormal rate in any case.

"I see you've inherited the Uzumaki clan's natural resilience." The General commented absently and Minato smiled. Another proof that Naruaki was their son.

Naruaki arched a brow and looked down at the slowly healing wounds. Another advantage that seemed to naturally posses. He was certain that Kyuubi only enhanced it. Still, he doubted that he'd be able to recover from grievous wounds like the one Sasuke inflicted on him in the Valley of the End battle.

He didn't feel as invulnerable as he did before but Kyuubi's presence had been more of a curse than a blessing and he felt that such sacrifices were worth it in the end.

Naruto would come to see Kyuubi as only a blessing. He would never have to face the prejudice of the villagers; he wouldn't have to face the pain of being a Jinchuuriki. He would never come to regret the day Kyuubi was sealed in him.

Naruaki, however, had deep-seated wounds that would probably never heal. He had faced too much pain because of the Kyuubi and didn't regret its absence at all.

He was distracted from his thoughts when Sousuke moved to heal Minato. "It has been a while since anyone has been able to reduce you to such a state, Minato."

The Hokage raised a brow, "Anyone but you, you mean?"

Green eyes looked up at him, amused, "Come now, Hokage-sama, you give me too much credit."

"Hn." Minato scoffed before glancing at Naruaki, "You okay?"

Naruaki arched a brow at him, his eyes once again impassive. He gave his father a short nod before combing his fingers through his long hair, bringing the tresses into order. With a deft flick of his wrist, he tied his hair before walking away. "If that is all, I have a book waiting to be read."

Minato rolled his eyes, grumbling under his breath as he followed Naruaki out of the training grounds along with Sousuke. "I don't get what's so fascinating about that book." Sousuke smirked at him but before he could open his mouth, Minato glared, "If you're about to sprout some lame joke about me not being able to read or being stupid, save it." Sousuke chuckled while Naruaki shot him a smirk from over his shoulder.

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Sousuke, "Why is it that you and my son are so alike?" he scowled, "You weren't getting frisky with my wife behind my back, were you?"

Naruaki choked while Sousuke stumbled in shock, looking at Minato with wide eyes. "_What did you say?_" the General asked incredulously while Naruaki looked at him in surprise.

Minato simply grinned smugly, congratulating himself for catching both his son and his friend off-guard. Silently, he sent Kushina an apology.

Naruaki observed his father for a while before shaking his head in disbelief. He met the General's amused green eyes and raised a brow, "Is it always like that between the two of you?"

Sousuke inclined his head with a small smirk, "Well, we have been friends all our life. That didn't change when we got into separate Genin teams or when he became the Hokage. I teased him relentlessly then, I do so now."

Minato scoffed, "As we grew older, I learned to give back just as good as I got. So whenever the both of us meet, we make it a point to annoy the hell out of each other."

Naruaki looked at them in amusement before letting his eyes roam around the Jounin lounge that they had just entered. He paused when spotted the familiar white hair of Jiraiya only to freeze in shock. "_What the Hell?_" he whispered to himself, horrified.

Minato and Sousuke paused, looking at him with question. He gestured towards the man standing beside Jiraiya, his face paling in disbelief, "Is that who I _think_ he is?" he asked, his fingers twitching towards the hilt of his sword.

Sousuke glanced at the man and raised a brow, "Orochimaru-sama?" he looked at Naruaki in confusion, "He's one of the Sannin, your godfather's best friend. Surely you know of him?"

Naruaki's eyes narrowed, his lips thinning in displeasure. He had _not_ counted on Orochimaru's presence in Konoha. After dealing with the likes of Pein and Madara, Orochimaru seemed like a little worm in comparison, however, he was well aware of the danger the Snake Sannin posed. Honestly, he had never even considered Orochimaru when he was asked by Kyuubi to travel back in time. To see him so unexpectedly was a shock.

Minato recognized that something was wrong and quietly steered Naruaki out of the lounge. Sousuke followed them after glancing at Orochimaru suspiciously.

Naruaki bit his lip, combing his fingers through his hair as he struggled to recollect everything that he could about Orochimaru's history in Konoha. He knew pitifully little about the traitor. He had been too young for either Jiraiya or Sandaime to share any information about Orochimaru and when he was older, the bastard had ceased to be his concern, thanks to Sasuke.

He needed to thread carefully. His first instinct had been to run his sword through that slimy pedophile but his actions could do more harm than good. He needed to think this through.

"Naruaki…" Minato whispered softly, "Is something the matter? Is there something about Orochimaru-san that we should know?"

The younger Namikaze looked at his father in considering manner. Finally, he seemed to have come to a decision. "You're not going to like this."

Minato frowned. "It doesn't matter, Naruaki-kun, whether he likes it or not." Sousuke said before Minato could reply, "Obviously, you hadn't expected Orochimaru-sama's presence here and your reaction was negative."

Minato nodded, "Sousuke is correct, Naruaki. This seems like a sensitive matter." He glanced at the General, "We should take this to my office."

The younger Namikaze nodded and kept his silence as they headed towards Yondaime's office. His thoughts were muddled as he tried to recall as much as he could about Orochimaru's transgressions. He was unsure whether his father would believe him or not.

Once they settled into the office, Minato looked at him, silently asking him to explain. Naruaki sighed, closing his eyes thoughtfully. "You're correct in assuming that I hadn't expected Orochimaru to be here. By _here_, I mean Konoha." Minato stilled, narrowing his eyes at Naruaki when the implication of his statement registered. "With this one, I'll need your help." He looked at Minato with a frown, "I don't know much about the man's past nor do I know if he is redeemable or if he has already conducted those vile human experiments that he so loves to do."

"Human experiments?" Yondaime asked, his brow arching in shock, "You don't mean…"

Naruaki swore under his breath, trying to piece together fragments of information. "Look, Orochimaru was a great problem when I just became a Genin… he caused a lot of pain…" he grimaced when he recalled Sasuke's treachery and Sandaime's death, "From age twelve to fifteen, he was our primary goal but when I come to think of it… I never bothered as much with him as our other enemies. I was so focused on getting my best friend out of his clutches that most of the time; I didn't bother to look into that man's past." He sighed, "Frankly speaking, compared to the others that I have faced, Orochimaru was _child's play_. He was sick and vile but…"

"Naruaki… what are you saying? Are you implying that Orochimaru became a missing nin?" Minato asked in disbelief.

Naruaki nodded solemnly, "Yes. I don't know what exactly happened and when it happened. All I know that Sandaime-sama caught him conducting some experiments on human subjects… sometimes children… and he wasn't exactly pleased with the fact that you became the Yondaime instead of him."

Naruaki leaned forward, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "Geez, I can't believe that just slipped my mind."

"Naruaki-kun, how much _can_ you tell us about Orochimaru and his defection?" Sousuke asked, leaning forward. He could see that Naruaki was irritated with himself. Angry that he could forget something so vital and the General wanted to reassure him that no one expected him to save everyone and right every wrong. The knowledge of the future was a burden and obviously, Naruaki couldn't just snap his fingers and set everything all right.

"I can't tell you much about _how_ and _when_ Orochimaru defected but I can tell you what he did after the defection. The rest, I leave it up to you. Just consult me before you take any action." He ran his fingers through his hair in visible frustration, "Man, that bastard has a hand in _everything_. I need to think. I need to understand just how much his actions affected everything else… weigh the pros and cons… damn it!"

"Hey now." Minato whispered softly, coming to kneel before Naruaki to look into those clouded blue eyes, "Calm down, alright? Tell us everything and we'll decide what to do together. Obviously, you feel that disposing him off now isn't a wise decision. You must have some reason for that. Don't worry much, we'll resolve the issue."

Naruaki observed him for a moment before nodding in agreement, visibly calming down.

Sousuke leaned back, glad that Minato was able to placate Naruaki before gaining their attention, "Start from the very beginning Naruaki-kun… don't skip even the smallest detail."


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: Guardian of Fire.**

**Author: Agni**

**Warnings: AU, Time travel, a bit of OOC but not too much.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**AN: A few things I'd like to mention. As for the current chapter, I'd like to clarify the age of the characters mentioned in this chapter. Kakashi, from what I have calculated, is somewhere around fifteen during this time. I am assuming that Rin was of the same age as Kakashi, please do correct me if I'm wrong. Anko, I assume, is somewhere around thirteen while Naruaki is eighteen but everyone believes that he is sixteen. **

**Chapter Rewrite Date: April 21, 2011**

* * *

**-**_**Five**_**-**

* * *

Minato was, by no means, fond of Orochimaru. It was partly due to his sensei's influence and partly due to his own judgment. The Snake Sannin wasn't a pleasant man, after all.

However, despite everything, Minato believed in every one of his soldiers and that included Orochimaru. When Naruaki suggested that Orochimaru was going to betray them, his instinctive reaction was to deny and defend his sensei's rival.

The repercussions of Orochimaru becoming a traitor were daunting to say the least. He didn't want to accept it, knowing how much it would hurt his mentor.

However, he reminded himself that Naruaki was from the future. Even though the young ninja had commented that he knew little about Orochimaru's betrayal, Minato was certain that his son knew many things that he didn't.

Under Sousuke's gentle encouragement, Naruaki finally started to explain. "I…" the young ANBU paused, "I don't exactly know the timeline. I was under the impression that Orochimaru deserted the village somewhere around the time I was born." Sousuke and Minato exchanged grave looks. "I'm not fully aware of what his motivations really were. I know that he was obsessed with learning every technique that existed. That's why he was so interested in Uchiha Sasuke. He wanted the Sharingan." Naruaki paused again, tapping his temple in irritation. "He invented this technique." His lips twisted into a disgusted grimace, "A method to gain immortality. He would transfer his soul." He paused, "I think."

"You think?" Sousuke asked with an arched brow.

Naruaki shrugged, "I don't know what exactly the specifics of that jutsu were. I only know that he transferred his soul from one powerful container to another. When he took over a body, he would be able to utilize their skills and jutsu… including bloodline limits. He wanted to take over Sasuke's body."

Naruaki frowned, "He _tried_ with Itachi but _that _man was out of almost everyone's reach."

"So he targeted the Uchiha to gain the Sharingan?" Minato asked, "But from what you've alluded, both Itachi-kun and Sasuke-kun grow up to be fairly powerful. Why didn't he pick a weaker member of the clan?"

Naruaki paused, wondering whether he should reveal the entire truth of the matter. After careful consideration, he decided that the right time hadn't arrived yet. "Itachi was powerful beyond words. He possessed the most evolved Sharingan at that time. Orochimaru wasn't able to touch him, much less defeat him." He closed his eyes in thought, carefully disguising his pain. "Sasuke, on the other hand, had the Sharingan with the most potential. When Orochimaru targeted him, he was a mere Genin and not powerful enough to negate his influence."

He shook his head to gather his scattered thoughts. "On to more important matters." He looked at his father, "Orochimaru was forced to leave the village when Sandaime discovered that he was conducting human experiments."

Minato stilled while Sousuke shifted forward, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

Naruaki scoffed delicately. "Don't act so surprised." He scowled at them, "Human experiments are legal as long as they are done on prisoners or traitors. It was only because Orochimaru experimented on the citizens and ninja of Konoha, he became a criminal in the eyes of the Hokage and his council. Experimenting on approximately sixty infants was the last straw. He was forced to leave."

Minato sighed and leaned back. He didn't want Naruaki to know that but he often forgot that sitting in front of him was not a sixteen year old child but a seemingly experienced ANBU.

Naruaki continued speaking, his voice and expression nonchalant. "Sandaime could have possibly killed him then but Orochimaru was Sandaime favorite pupil…" he smirked at Minato, "Konoha certainly doesn't practice what it preaches, does it? Every sensei seems to have a favorite amongst his group of Genin."

Minato frowned. He certainly recognized the gibe for what it was but couldn't understand the reason behind it. As far as he knew, he gave all his students equal amount of attention.

"So, Orochimaru escaped?" Sousuke asked.

Naruaki nodded, "Indeed, he did." He confirmed, "He didn't stay quiet, though. He joined a criminal organization called the Akatsuki. He didn't hold his position amongst their ranks for long. There were people who were more powerful than he was in that organization and that bothered him. He wasn't someone who would willingly take to being ordered about." Naruaki shrugged, carefully concealing Itachi's role in the entire matter, "He left the organization and created his own village called the Hidden Sound in Rice country."

Minato looked at Naruaki intently, "He doesn't seem to be actively endangering Konoha's interests. This Akatsuki… I have heard whispers about it but they don't seem to be a threat to us."

Naruaki scoffed, "Then sit up and take notice, Yondaime-sama." He stated, "In the future, Akatsuki will become the greatest threat to all Shinobi nations." He stated bluntly, when Minato opened his mouth to ask more questions. "But let us focus on the problem at hand. Don't be deceived by his silence. He will be preparing himself and gathering an army. That takes time." He stated dryly.

"Orochimaru attacked Konoha when I was twelve years old. He attacked during the Chunin examinations. He marked Uchiha Sasuke with a mind-corrupting seal. The seal had an essence of Orochimaru in it. Since that guy's intention was to take over Sasuke's body, he placed the seal on him so that Sasuke would become more susceptible to his influence." His eyes flickered towards the window, his lips twisted into a grave scowl. "Sasuke was by no means innocent. He wanted power and he _allowed_ Orochimaru to lure him away from Konoha."

"Allowed?" Sousuke asked with a raised brow, not missing the emphasis.

Naruaki scoffed, "That guy was a cunning bastard. He was deceiving Orochimaru all along." He looked at Minato, "The Uchiha are dangerous." He cautioned. "Especially the latest generation. The Sharingan is the most complex Doujutsu that I have ever encountered. I have observed that Sharingan _evolves_. Uchiha Itachi took the Sharingan to the next level and Sasuke took it even further. You know that there are only three levels to the Sharingan, the three comas."

Minato nodded.

"There is another level above it. It is called the Mangekyou Sharingan."

"What does it do?" Sousuke asked, interested.

Naruaki shrugged, "No one can ever be certain. It seems that Mangekyou Sharingan is different from one person to another. Kakashi had the power to create a rift between dimensions and banish anything he wished into the void." Minato's eyes widened a bit. "On the other hand, Itachi seemed to possess three, almost undefeatable and extremely powerful attacks called Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi and Susano'o." he gestured helplessly, "I don't even know what Sasuke's Mangekyou Sharingan was capable of."

"You say that the Uchiha are dangerous and yet you seem to favor them." Sousuke observed, looking at Naruaki in confusion. "Any reason for that?"

Naruaki nodded his head, "They're dangerous enemies but they'll make very good _allies_. Consider Itachi out of the question. He won't betray Konoha. _Ever_. Sasuke worshipped Itachi so as long as Itachi is loyal to Konoha, Sasuke will be loyal to Konoha."

'_That is, unless, Itachi slaughters the entire clan in front of Sasuke and tortures him.' _Naruaki thought dryly.

Sousuke paused, looking at Naruaki as realization dawned in his eyes. "And you intend to make certain that Itachi obeys _you_ above everyone else."

Naruaki simply smirked but didn't bother to reply.

Minato was less convinced. "Are you certain it's wise to meddle with something as fragile as trust? If the Uchiha get a hint that you're manipulating them, the repercussions would be severe."

Naruaki arched a brow, "And the alternative? We sit back and let things be as they were and have a powerful enemy on our hands." He leaned forward, "Our problem is Orochimaru. Let us forget about to Uchiha right now. I'll deal with them." He narrowed his eyes in thought, "Sandaime was killed in that attack along with many ninja and civilians. Orochimaru made an alliance with Sunagakure."

Yondaime stilled, "Suna?"

Naruaki sighed, "That's going to be a problem. After that invasion orchestrated by Orochimaru failed, Suna became a powerful ally of Konoha. The Kazekage of our generation, Gaara, was my best friend. If circumstances don't play out as it did in the future that we may lose that alliance." The young ANBU scowled. He would have to find another way to save Gaara from himself and gain an alliance with Suna.

Sousuke looked at him. "Is that why you're so uncertain about Orochimaru? Because of the alliance with Suna?"

"That's not a strong enough reason to let Orochimaru escape, Naruaki." Minato mentioned and his son nodded in response.

"I'm well aware of that." He whispered, looking troubled. "While the alliance is on my mind, I'm concerned about other things. I know that Orochimaru will certainly join the Akatsuki if he leaves Konoha. If he joins, it would mean that I would know most of the principle members of the organization and their abilities."

He paused, looking for the right words to express his thoughts, "Moreover, there's a certain connection between Orochimaru and Danzo. I never found out the exact nature of their relationship. Moreover, I'm convinced that there was a connection between Madara and Danzo. If we catch that guy too early, many things would change and my knowledge of the future would be compro-"

"Hold on!" Minato interrupted sharply, "Did you just mention Madara? _Uchiha Madara?_"

Naruaki leaned back, his hooded blue eyes looking at the Hokage coolly. "I did."

Abruptly Minato's entire demeanor seemed to change. He leaned forward, his sharp cerulean eyes focused on his son's face. "So he survived. My instinct was correct. The Kyuubi…"

"Indeed it was. The Akatsuki, Yondaime-sama, is a foe that we need to consider very carefully. Konoha isn't ready for a confrontation with Madara at the moment. If we play our cards carefully, we won't have to deal them for at least a decade. We can use that time to prepare."

Sousuke looked at Naruto skeptically, "Wouldn't it be best to destroy the members of the group before the group is formed?"

"No." Yondaime answered, much to Naruaki's surprise, "Naruaki is right. We can't face Madara now. If I understand correctly, Akatsuki is Madara's tool. If we let the original Akatsuki form, we'll have a distinct advantage of knowing their strengths and weaknesses beforehand, thanks to Naruaki." His son nodded in acknowledgement, "If we act too soon, Madara will know that something is up, that we've somehow gotten a hint of his motives and ambitions. Moreover, the replacements will be unknown to us."

Naruaki smirked, "That's correct. Now you realize why I wish for both Itachi and Sasuke to be loyal to Konoha?" he leaned forward, placing his hand on his father's desk, "Itachi's true potential is unknown to me. I don't know if his faulty upbringing conducive or harmful for his growth. What I do know is that he relied on his Sharingan too much. A mistake that Sasuke repeated. Both their potential is beyond what you can imagine."

Sousuke frowned, "Aren't you relying too much on the Uchiha siblings? Just those two-"

"You are mistaken." Naruaki stated, "You see, they're important. Indeed, I'll be the first person to admit it but _no one _is as important as Naruto is." Minato sat straight, narrowing his eyes at the mention of his youngest son. "However, the Uchiha are weak here." He tapped his temple, "and here. So easily corrupted, so easily swayed…" He placed his hand on his chest, over his heart. "But Naruto… he'll never falter. Naruto's will and his morals are unshakable, his word once given, is something anyone can trust above everything else."

Both Yondaime and Sousuke looked a little unnerved. Naruaki chuckled humorlessly, "You underestimate the problems we'll face in the future. As it stands, we need as many powerful and loyal people to support Konoha as possible. We can't afford to let even a single potentially powerful nin out of our grasp." He looked at this father intently, "And I'm not talking about just competence, Hokage-sama. I'm talking about the ability to face nearly impossible odds and insanely powerful enemies and come out victorious."

Sousuke leaned forward in interest, "And these potentially powerful nin are?"

Naruaki smirked, "Konoha is plentiful when it comes to prodigies, Sousuke-san. Some of them hidden and underestimated, some of them so blindingly brilliant that their skills cannot be ignored. As long as we nurture them properly, we shouldn't have a problem. Naruto and his friends will together from Konoha powerful defense."

Both Minato and Sousuke looked startled and Naruaki looked grim. "That's Naruto destined duty." He waved his hand elegantly, "_Naruto's _true potential is…" he paused, looking for the right word, "Incomprehensible. I know what I'm capable of, I know what Naruto will be capable of. Whatever potential I had was destroyed before it had a chance to truly grow. And I know just what to do so that he doesn't grow up to become _me._" He admitted with a soft, rueful smile.

Sousuke glanced at Minato in slight concern as the Hokage studied his son with distinct sadness. "And how does that benefit Konoha?"

Naruaki smirked, his gentle smile vanishing, leaving behind a memory of a boy more innocent and kind than he actually was. "Naruto _is_ Konoha." He stated bluntly, "Naruto dies, Konoha will follow. Naruto fails, Konoha will fall. Naruto falters, Konoha will suffer." his lips curled bitterly; "He is the only one, in the end, who'll be able to stop the destruction of the Ninja world. He was prophesied to be born."

There was a long moment of stunned silence where Minato's mind reeled with the information that his son had just shared.

"The Uchiha are just tools for me to utilize until Naruto is ready." Naruaki stated bluntly, "There are greater things at stake than their own clan and their selfishness." He shook his head with a sneer of disgust, "They'll help us defeat Akatsuki. They'll have no other choice."

"You're certain… about all this and Orochimaru?" Minato asked finally, regaining his bearings.

Naruaki shrugged, "No. I can't promise that, as you well know." He looked at the Hokage pointedly, "I could very well be wrong and letting Orochimaru go or waiting before dealing with him would prove to be a bad decision. However," he paused, "While it would be foolish to ignore or underestimate him, I have supreme confidence in _you._" He pointed towards Minato and the young Hokage arched a brow in surprise, "You know Orochimaru better than I do and unlike Jiraiya or Sandaime-sama, you're impartial. You can deal with him as you see fit. My responsibility is the Akatsuki and Madara and if it comes to that… Itachi and Sasuke."

Minato frowned, "Are the risks of letting that man go worth it?"

Naruaki shrugged, "In the end, what brought Konoha to its knees wasn't an external force, Yondaime-sama, but an internal disease. Danzo isn't the only one I'm worried about. Many people in our council follow his example. They prefer his rigid ideals and lack of humanity and compassion to Sandaime's humane approach or your rational one."

He leaned back with a tired sigh, "We've delayed that problem because I insisted that you live." He glared at his father, "You're too powerful for Danzo. Your political acumen is on par with his while your skills as a ninja far surpass what he had managed to steal." He said in disgust, "Still, it can't be denied that Danzo is slowly gaining support. He isn't above using outsiders to get the power he desires."

"And you seek to change that?" Sousuke asked, his interest his in best friend's son growing with every words that fell past the boy's lips.

Naruaki scoffed, "Not at all. I don't care much about that. My goal is simple. Keep Konoha _safe_. That's it. No external and internal strife should affect it."

"You see, that is what I don't understand." Minato stated softly, "Why is this to be your responsibility?"

Naruaki looked out of the window thoughtfully and frowned, "Sasuke, Sakura-chan, Kakashi-sensei, Sandaime, Iruka-sensei, Jiraiya, Hinata-chan, Neji, Konohamaru, Tsunade, Kiba, Shino, Lee, Shikamaru, Chouji, Shizune-nee, Anko-nee, Azuma-sensei, Yamato-sensei, Sai and now you and Naruto-chan" he waved his hand absently, "I could go on and on… listing all those people who are precious to me. They are Konoha to me. When I think of Konoha, I think of them. Their safety, their well-being and happiness is connected to this land."

Sousuke sighed, "Look, Minato, this is going to get us nowhere." He gestured towards Naruaki, "Letting Orochimaru go is risky but if what Naruaki says is true then…"

Minato shook his head, "We need a spy to go along with Orochimaru. Someone who would-"

Naruaki raised his hand, narrowing his eyes.

The next instant, Sousuke and Naruaki were on their feet, Sousuke facing the only window in the office while Naruaki stood between the door and the Hokage. Minato quickly reached for his kunai and the two ANBU drew their sword, ready to tackle any threat.

The door to Minato's office burst open and Naruaki reacted before anyone did. His sword was just a blur as he moved. The razor-sharp blade was on the intruder's neck, ready to decapitate if the person proved to be a threat.

A whimper told them what they needed to know.

Gracefully, Naruaki straightened and sheathed his sword, staring down at the trembling woman in front of him impassively. Minato quickly moved around his son and gently guided the woman dressed in a nurse's outfit to a chair. "Forgive us for that, Akiko." He apologized with a charming smile, "We were discussing something serious and were slightly high-strung."

Akiko's hazel gaze flickered over to Naruaki who seemed extremely disinterested and she blushed.

Minato raised a brow when he saw her eyes shyly dance away from his eldest son. His lips twitched a bit but he kept his humor well concealed. "Akiko, we're sorry for frightening you but you shouldn't have rushed into my office like that. What's the matter?"

Akiko shook her head, making a conscious effort to keep her eyes away from his handsome son. Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Hokage-sama!" she exclaimed, "Sandaime-sama was just admitted to the hospital… he was attacked!"

Naruaki and Sousuke instantly went on guard.

She continued breathlessly, "We believe Orochimaru-sama may be in danger as well since Sandaime spoke his name before he lost consciousness."

Naruaki frowned as Minato cursed loudly. They hadn't suspected that Orochimaru would act so soon.

He glanced at Sousuke and nodded. The ANBU General gave a soft affirmative sound and Minato turned towards Akiko. "Thank you Akiko, you may leave now. If in any case you or your colleagues encounter Orochimaru, inform me immediately." She nodded before stealing a glance at Naruaki.

This time the young ANBU noticed her glances and arched a brow, absolutely clueless. "Is there something you wish to tell me?"

Minato sighed and shook his head when Akiko blushed and frantically turned away from his son. "N-nothing, sir."

Naruaki disregarded her after a single glance and raised a brow at Sousuke.

The General nodded his head, "I'll go alert the guards." He murmured before disappearing from sight.

Naruaki narrowed his eyes, "I will go and check on Naruto-chan." He stated, meeting Yondaime's eyes. Both were keenly aware of the possibility that Orochimaru may try to harm or even kidnap Naruto.

Just because it hadn't happened in Naruaki's time didn't mean that wasn't likely to happen now.

The Hokage nodded, "Meet me at the hospital when you're done. I'll go check up on Sandaime-sama and get his account of what happened."

Naruaki nodded and left instantly.

* * *

"Sandaime-sama." Yondaime whispered softly as he sat on the chair by the older man's bed, "What happened?"

The old ninja sighed, closed his eyes in silent regret. "I've become weak, Minato-kun." He confessed, "Not only weak in body but in mind and heart. I let my affection take precedence over my loyalty for Konoha and now we must all suffer the consequences."

Yondaime's eyes widened, "You confronted him."

The former Hokage looked at his successor in surprise, "You knew?"

Minato grinned ruefully, "Naruaki."

"Ah." Sandaime whispered, running a wrinkled hand over his face. "That boy of yours is far too knowledgeable and shrewd." There was a smile, "His cunning would put Danzo to shame."

The younger man grimaced, "I'd rather not have my child being compared to that slime." He stated bluntly, "We were just discussing the matter." Minato shook his head, "Naruaki is of the opinion that we should let Orochimaru go…" he paused, "For the time being."

Sandaime looked startled before looked at Minato sternly, "Be careful, Minato-kun, not to rely on Naruaki's knowledge entirely. He may not always be right."

The Hokage smiled wryly, "Ironically, he said the same thing." He sighed, "I can't _ignore_ his knowledge either. Nor can I bring myself to disregard his counsel completely." He combed his fingers through his hair warily, "There's more to this than we're aware of. Naruaki knows more than we do and we can't simply disregard that."

He leaned back in his chair, "In any case, I have no doubt that Jiraiya-sensei has gone after him. Besides, Sousuke must have sent an ANBU unit after Orochimaru. Naruaki has gone to check on Naruto to see if he's safe."

"He seems very protective of the child."

Yondaime nodded, "Naruto will be the only person Naruaki will be completely honest and open with." He waved his hand, "But enough about that troublesome child." He looked at the Sandaime keenly, "If the ANBU and Jiraiya don't manage to bring Orochimaru back then we shall go forth with Naruaki's plan. I believe he plans to pay attention to Orochimaru's actions in the future. He has something on his mind… that he says we'll counter a threat that's larger than Orochimaru."

Sandaime raised his brows in question, looking faintly baffled, "Minato, Orochimaru is set on destroying Konoha for slighting him. He coveted your position…"

Yondaime nodded, "I realize that Sandaime-sama however…" he paused and looked at his predecessor seriously, "Sometimes we must let the smaller fish go to catch the bigger one." He leaned back in his seat thoughtfully, "It took me a while, but I think I'm starting to understand Naruaki's strategy."

Sandaime frowned in question and Minato sighed, trying to put his thoughts into words. "From what I can gather, there are two different sets of enemies that we must deal with." He informed, "One of them operates within Konoha and the other outside it." Minato leaned back with a frown, gesturing vaguely, "There's some connection between the two. Naruaki has carefully devised a way to neutralize both of them."

The older man looked at Minato with calm, evaluating eyes, "And what way is that?"

"Deal with the internal threat first." The Yondaime stated, "The internal threat is right in front of our eyes, Sandaime-sama. It's within our reach, in our territory. We have all the advantages we need and if we deal with this carefully, we can strengthen Konoha."

Sandaime narrowed his eyes in thought, pondering over Minato's words. "And what exactly is this enemy?"

"Danzo's ideals."

Sarutobi looked at Minato in surprise, "Not Danzo himself?"

Minato nodded, "He's a threat, of course. I don't know just how powerful his influence on my ANBU is nor do I know how deeply _Ne _has infiltrated our ranks. The problem is that Danzo is wining more and more support. Naruaki is right in one aspect." He sighed, "That particular battle can only be fought with politics and cunning and not with brute strength. Naruaki believes that just finishing off Danzo won't do the trick."

Sandaime's eyes widened in sudden understanding, "He wishes to ruin Danzo… to drown his reputation?"

Minato nodded grimly, "Yes." He whispered, "That's exactly what he has on his mind. He wants to discredit Danzo so that the problem is destroyed to the very roots of it."

"And this external threat?"

Minato sighed, "I'm under the impression that politics and cunning will go nowhere in that case. Naruaki has led me to believe that they are _very_ powerful. So much so that very few amongst our ranks can encounter them and hope to survive."

The former Hokage seemed surprised and Minato couldn't blame him. The ninja of Konoha were not weak, after all. Many people in their ranks were legendary amongst the shinobi countries.

"What does he plan to do?"

Minato shrugged helplessly, "I don't know much. This threat, Akatsuki, is an organization of S-class nuke-nin. They recruit very strong people and Naruaki tells me that Orochimaru will be a part of their organization. We have decided to wait until the entire organization is formed before dealing with them."

"Why is that?"

"Simply because I know the members of the organization well and I know their strengths and weaknesses."

Neither Sandaime nor Yondaime seemed surprised by Naruaki's abrupt arrival.

The oldest amongst them looked at Naruaki with a frown, "Why not deal with them when they're alone and not a part of a cohesive unit that could pose a greater threat to us?"

Naruaki leaned against a white wall with his arms crossed, "If we deal with them now, the leader will simply reform the organization with other members. We must wait until all ten are recruited before we act."

Sandaime looked skeptical, Naruaki sighed.

"Look, I know you don't trust me." He stated bluntly.

Sandaime winced and shook his head, "No Naruaki-kun… you're mist-"

"I'm not an idiot." Naruaki interrupted dryly and Yondaime shot him a reprimanding glare for the disrespect he was showing. "If I were in your place, I wouldn't trust an eighteen year old newbie like myself, either." He admitted with a casual shrug, "Look, I'm not saying that I'm infallible. I'm possibly the only person who is truly aware of the consequences of my actions. Just because I'm from the future doesn't mean I know everything."

Naruaki sighed and moved forward, taking the only empty chair in the room and looking at the two adults with sharply intelligent eyes. "I'm not here to tell you what to do, Yondaime-sama. I'm here to guide you. I possess the knowledge but _you_ possess the power. It's your decision to follow my advice or not." He spread his hands in an expansive gesture, "I'll admit it right here. I don't have your wisdom nor do I possess the same level of experience and intellect. The only thing I have working for me is my knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy. I know what they are capable of and what they'll do if given the chance."

He turned away from Sandaime and met his father's eyes. "I could tell you everything that happened in the past and it wouldn't make an ounce of difference. How can you begin to appreciate the severity of a situation when you haven't experienced it? I could tell you everything… I certainly trust you enough to do it but I can't, for the life of me, find words that would do justice." He shook his head, "I could try but I still won't be able to explain to you the real horrors Konoha faced when Pein decided to grace us with his presence. You'll never understand why Orochimaru, for all his brilliance, seems so insignificant in the scheme of things."

"Naruaki…" Yondaime trailed off, frowning. His son was right. He was the Hokage and he had to make the decisions. It was up to him to pay attention to Naruaki's advice.

"Orochimaru is a brilliant man. I admit it. I have fought him a few times and have never come up on top but I was a child then." He closed his head, recalling all his battles with Orochimaru, "It's the matter of finding the right person to deal with the right enemy. The rest, Yondaime-sama, is up to you."

Yondaime leaned back in his seat and drummed his fingers impatiently against his thigh. At last, he heaved a frustrated sigh, "Okay, you tell me that we can afford to deal with Orochimaru at leisure?"

"No." Naruaki shook his head, "I didn't say that. I said that it wasn't necessary that we deal with the guy _now_."

Yondaime narrowed his eyes, "Tell me Naruaki, if it comes down to you and Orochimaru, who do you assume will win?"

The younger Namikaze stilled. "You wish to know whether I'm capable of defeating him?" Minato nodded, "Honestly, speaking. I don't know. Every time I've gone up against him, I've failed. Granted, I was too young at that time to do any damage." He frowned, "I could." He whispered finally, "Sasuke had the Sharingan to facilitate him but he had the Cursed Seal that made him susceptible to Orochimaru. I may not have the Sharingan but I don't have the Cursed Seal either." He moved his fingers in the air, as though tracing something. "Hmm… that _should_, in theory, prevent me from being possessed." He murmured to himself.

Despite the situation, Minato looked at his mumbling son in amusement. At times like these, when he went off to his own little world, he was very amusing to watch. Somehow, his tall, intimidating son seemed similar to the brilliant, frantic, frail-looking scientists that worked in the Research and Development Department.

Completely nerdy.

"How about this…" Minato leaned forward, observing his son keenly, "I give you five years. Five years of letting Orochimaru go scot-free. After that, _you_ must capture him. We let Orochimaru spy on Akatsuki for us. We let him learn everything he can about that organization and then you bring him back for our Investigations Department to feast upon."

Naruaki's eyes widened in comprehension.

Minato smirked, "I don't want him building an army, Naruaki and nor do I want him to form a village. If he doesn't have an army or a village to call his own, he doesn't have the power to attack Konoha." He narrowed his eyes, "Unless he persuades the Akatsuki to assist him in the matter."

Naruaki shook his head, dismissing the thought instantly. "Not going to happen." He stated bluntly, "They have only one goal and I know that they'll not risk moving too early. Trust me on this one. Akatsuki will not attack Konoha for the time being." His eyes narrowed, "If my plans succeed, Akatsuki will never attack Konoha."

He looked at his father sharply when he recalled something, "And let us not forget that Orochimaru may be involved with Danzo… or will be in the future. We cannot ignore that either."

Minato sighed and rubbed his forehead, "That bastard." He looked at Sandaime with a slight frown, "I have to say this, Sandaime-sama. You let him have too much power. I know that you were great friends at one point of time but _really…_"

Sandaime smiled sadly, "It seems have been too lenient on many people, Minato."

"We-" Naruaki paused and both he and his father turned towards the door.

"Come on in, Kakashi." Minato called out, recognizing the presence even before his student could announce himself.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Minato could see Naruaki's open expression melting away and his body easing into a graceful but predatory slouch in the chair.

Minato knew that Naruaki was most dangerous when he seemed relaxed. He could see that his entire body was loose, ready to pounce. His hands lay innocently on his thighs, ready to grab a kunai or any other similar weapon from his utility pouch.

It was an instinctive reaction. Naruaki did the same thing whenever he saw someone he didn't like.

Minato narrowed his eyes. He had assumed that Naruaki and his students got along fine. He had seen his son and Kakashi involved in deep discussions and interesting spars many times. Did Naruaki have any reason to dislike his student?

"Everything alright, Kakashi?"

The silver-haired ANBU glanced about the room, his eye lingering on Naruaki for a brief moment before he turned his attention back towards his mentor. "We have a problem."

Minato arched a brow in question and the ANBU looked at his sensei in the eye. "We found many bodies…" he grimaced, "Disfigured and almost unrecognizable, in Orochimaru's secret laboratory. Few of the captives were alive but their physical and mental condition is still uncertain. We found many children… they have been experimented upon as well. Their names have been on the Civilian Missing-Persons' list for quite some time now." He sighed, "Unfortunately, given their conditions, it would be wise if we don't release them into the civilian community as of yet. I don't think they'd take well to normal civilian life."

The Hokage sighed and combed his fingers through his hair in dismay. "Anything else?"

Kakashi nodded. "Word has leaked out." Minato hissed, his face paling in rage. "People are panicking. They found out about the experiments." Kakashi looked a little uneasy, "They attacked Orochimaru's apprentice… Mitarashi Anko. She's currently in the hospital."

"Oh my." Sandaime whispered, a troubled frown marring his features. "How could this happen so fast?"

"It was impossible to hide the bodies and the victims when we brought them to the hospital." Kakashi stated, "The sheer number… we couldn't hide and the survivors needed instant medical attention."

"So you had to march through the village, in plain sight, while carrying the victims?" Naruaki asked with a frown and Kakashi nodded. "In that case, panic is unavoidable." The younger Namikaze admitted, "This'll take a long while to settle."

Kakashi bowed his head in agreement.

"How's Anko-chan?" Sandaime asked, recalling the easily excitable thirteen-year-old, "She was close to Orochimaru."

"She was upset." Kakashi informed, "But enraged as well. I may be wrong, but I don't think she'll betray the village for him."

"Does she have any sort of seal on her?" Minato asked softly, glancing at Naruaki.

Kakashi frowned, "Not that I know of."

Naruaki stood up with a sigh, "I'll go look into it." He turned towards the Sandaime, "I hope you recover soon, Sandaime-sama. Please take care."

The older man smiled, "I will. Be careful, Naruaki-kun."

Naruaki nodded, "Yes." He looked at Kakashi and gestured courteously towards the door, "After you."

The ANBU nodded and walked out of the room after getting Yondaime's permission to leave.

They walked side by side in silence but Naruaki could feel Kakashi's glances as they headed towards the room where Anko was placed.

"You're tense." Naruaki glanced at Kakashi in question, "And worried." The silver-haired ANBU stated. "Worried about Yondaime-sama?"

Naruaki shrugged gracefully. "He can take care of himself."

"Oh?" the blonde could feel Kakashi raising a brow at him, "You know that given the opportunity, Orochimaru will come after him."

"If nii-san cannot handle Orochimaru than I fear none of us will be able to." Naruaki replied impassively, "It's highly unlikely that Orochimaru would take the risk of confronting him. I'm not worried."

Kakashi shrugged, "If you say so."

Naruaki shot him an amused look, "Since when did you start giving my opinions credit, Kakashi?"

"Sensei's not a fool." Was Kakashi's only reply and Naruaki chuckled, his crystal blue eyes gleaming in amusement.

"So it would seem." He murmured before frowning at the door that led to Anko's room. There was a lot of noise coming from the other side of it. The signs of a struggle were obvious and Kakashi acted before he could. The younger ANBU opened the door quietly with his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to counter any threat.

Naruaki narrowed his eyes, "_What_ is going on here?" he asked. His voice held a hint of icy rage when he saw Anko struggling against the seals and ropes that bound her to the bed, snarling and cursing despite the grievous wound she was suffering from.

"Naru-kun." A sweet sounding voice called for his attention and he turned to look at his father's female student.

Rin seemed anxious and concerned as she looked at Anko, "We cannot heal her until she stops moving. She doesn't! Obviously the seal on her neck is doing _something_ to her and even tying her down isn't helping!"

Naruaki sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Kakashi, help me with this." He murmured as he set about removing the ropes and seals that bound Anko. "Keep your distance." Naruaki ordered the healers and nurses in a brisk voice, "I don't want any getting hurt unnecessarily. Up against the wall, all of you!"

The healers quickly obeyed the order and Naruaki hissed in agitation when Anko let out a loud wail, reaching out to claw at him once her hands were free. "Kakashi, her hands!"

Kakashi acted instantly, pinning her hands to the mattress, not letting go despite all her struggles.

Naruaki growled softly under his breath and swiftly got on top of her, careful not to crush her under his weight as he straddled her stomach.

"Get off me, you bastard!" she almost screeched but Naruaki paid little heed to her complaints. Gently, but firmly, he grasped her chin and forced her to bare her neck to him. The seal was highly unstable but it was also very active, causing Anko a great deal of pain and mental anguish.

Naruaki knew that eventually Anko's will would triumph over it but he also knew that she would be somewhat hampered by it.

"Naru-kun! What are you doing!" Rin asked, horrified to see the thirteen-year-old slender girl struggling underneath the weight of a tall, well-muscled man.

She almost moved forward but Kakashi glared at her, "Rin! Let Naruaki handle it. He knows what he's doing."

"But Kashi-kun!"

"Rin." Naruaki reprimanded sharply, "You're distracting me." He hissed as he slashed his palm with a kunai, letting the wound bleed. When he had his own blood coating his fingertips, he held Anko steady and started to paint a seal surrounding the cursed seal. That was the best he could do until Anko's wounds were healed. After that, he would attempt the Fūja Hōin (Evil Sealing method) on her.

He cursed himself for not researching the Ten no Juin (Cursed Seal of Heaven) thoroughly. After Itachi sealed away Sasuke's seal permanently, Naruaki didn't bother to lean more about it. He didn't have the time or the will. Sasuke had been killed a while after that and Naruaki had no reason to research something that caused him so much pain.

He grunted when Anko moved unexpectedly and hissed in irritation. Raising his hand, he gave her a sharp slap.

Everyone stilled, including Anko, who looked at Naruaki with wide, stunned eyes.

"I apologize." He stated stiffly, ignoring her red cheek and setting about correcting the mistake that Anko's movements had caused. "If I get this wrong, you'll suffer more pain." He explained bluntly before gathering his chakra. "Suppression Seal." He whispered and the kanji written in blood glowed.

Anko let out a hoarse cry as the cursed seal burned and struggled under the weak suppression seal.

"Anko, listen to me." Naruaki commanded, his voice sharp and loud. "The power of the cursed seal is tempting but it comes at a cost. Reject it. You don't want that corrupted power, Anko. Help me out here, you need to focus."

The girl let out a low moan, tears sliding down her cheeks as she struggled against the pain.

"That's it." Naruaki said coaxingly, "Good girl, Anko, turn away from that power. You don't need it." He sighed softly when he noticed that the suppression seal was working, albeit sluggishly, to counter the cursed seal. "Good girl." He whispered, his keen eyes watching the progress of his jutsu.

Finally, the cursed seal became dormant and Naruaki relaxed, getting of the bed and taking the cloth that Kakashi had offered to press it against the wound on his palm.

Anko lay on the bed, her dazed eyes on the ceiling. She was trembling, white as a sheet but Naruaki knew that she'd be well soon enough. He nodded to the medics and they rushed forward to treat her wounds while Rin came towards him.

"Sorry for doubting you, Naru-kun." She whispered softly, taking his injured hand and directing some of her healing chakra into it. As the wound began to close, she wrapped Naruaki's hand with a bandage and sighed, "The poor girl."

Naruaki hummed and combed his fingers through his hair. "That seal isn't going to last for long." He warned, "I need to know when she's healthy enough to withstand a respectable amount of strain. I have a more powerful seal on my mind that should suppress the cursed seal more efficiently. However, it'll drain her significantly."

Rin sighed, "I'll let you know as soon as she recovers." She looked at him questioningly, "How long will the suppression seal last?"

Naruaki shrugged, "A maximum of three days and that depends on how strong her own will is. Without a doubt, it should stay strong for at least another thirty hours or so."

She frowned, looking troubled. "We'll have to work fast then."

"You do that." Naruaki murmured with a nonchalant wave of his hand as he headed towards the door. "Inform me if anything untoward happens."

Rin's eyes widened, "Where are you going?"

Naruaki glanced at her and answered her question dryly, "Home."

Rin glared as Naruaki disappeared from sight, "Why that infuriating-"

"What exactly did he do?" Kakashi asked, sounding bored yet somewhat puzzled.

"I don't like the way he just waltzes in and out as though he owns this place! Without so much as a by-your-leave!"

Kakashi raised a brow, "He doesn't need your permission to come and go as he pleases, Rin."

She huffed, "I know! But there's something called courtesy that you boys seem to have forgotten."

Kakashi looked at her, baffled by her ire.

Suddenly he realized something and his eye curved happily, a smirk forming on his lips underneath his mask.

Rin eyes him warily, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Kakashi tilted his head to the side in feigned confusion, "Like what?"

Rin scowled, her face slowly gaining a rosy hue, "Like _that! _Like you are thinking of something dirty!"

Kakashi chuckled.

"Shut up!"

Kakashi raised his hands in surrender, "I didn't say anything."

Rin glared at him, "But you were thinking it!"

Kakashi raised a brow, "Thinking what?"

Rin sputtered, her face now completely flushed. "You know…" she trailed off in embarrassment.

Kakashi smirked, "No, I don't know. Please do enlighten me."

"_Kakashi…_" she was practically growling, Kakashi observed in amusement. "That's not _funny!_"

The ANBU shook his head, "Oh I think it is." He smiled at her slyly, "Don't worry Rin-chan, your secret is safe with me."

"_**Kakashi, you Idiot!**_"


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: Guardian of Fire.**

**Author: Agni**

**Warnings: AU, Time travel, a bit of OOC but not too much.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**AN: My last update was in 2009, a fact that I'm thoroughly ashamed of. I can't explain why I simply lost interest in Naruto. The recent revelations in manga haven't helped. Because of the facts revealed in canon, I had to discard various plot devices and reshape the entire story in my head in a way. I would've loved to simply ignore the manga but I can't seem to. **

**Anyways, I've come up with a compromise in my head. I've also reedited the past five chapters so that I can continue the story without any conflict between chapters. Opinions of my readers are always welcome. If you think that there are some things that are not adding up, please inform me. I'll also warn you that this story won't be completely faithful to the canon. **

**Moreover, I'm declaring this story to be a Gen. There won't be any pairings and if there are, they won't affect the plotline in any manner. Romance would be muted, possibly used for comic effect more than anything. I hope this doesn't disappoint. **

**Please enjoy and forgive me for the lateness of this update. I'm slowly gaining a rhythm so I'll try to update every month or so.**

* * *

_**- Six -**_

* * *

Yondaime-sama was a pleasant man. Itachi knew that. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but feel a little intimidated in the powerful ninja's company. He had seen Yondaime from a distance many times but he could count on the fingers of his one hand, the number of times he had been in his company.

The man had a fearsome reputation, his skills as a ninja earning him various titles and enemies outside of Konoha.

For a man reputed for the slaughter of hundreds of Iwa ninja with a single jutsu, Yondaime was remarkably amiable. His charming smile and slightly mischievous air give nothing away, concealing his true intelligence easily.

For the first time in his life, Itachi felt a hint of awe as he gazed silently at the Yondaime.

His father was sitting beside him, chatting with Yondaime in a causal, careless manner that seemed to indicate friendship. However, Itachi guessed that it was simply an illusion that Yondaime wished to portray to put the Uchiha at ease.

Carefully, with concealed eagerness, he scanned his surroundings, taking in his first glimpse of the Hokage's office. He was, after all, a five-year-old boy.

"Hokage-sama." Itachi turned his head when his father interrupted the friendly conversation with a serious sounding address. "Shouldn't Namikaze-sama be present here to discuss the apprenticeship?"

Yondaime smiled while Itachi paid keener attention to the conversation. "Yes. However, he's a little late." At Fugaku's subtly displeased expression, the Yondaime chuckled, "Ah, please excuse him. Naruaki is currently performing a complex containment seal on Mitarashi Anko to imprison the Cursed Seal that Orochimaru used on her." The Hokage shrugged, "I suspect there might be some complications. He should be here any moment now."

Itachi watched as his father frowned, looking vaguely concerned. "Pardon me, Hokage-sama, but is it wise to allow your brother to be in the company of a known associate of the traitor?"

Yondaime arched a brow, his expression genial but the look in his eyes was harsh, "Are you suggesting that a student should be punished for her teacher's sins?"

Fugaku instantly noticed Yondaime's ire but replied with calm and composure, "Punished? No. However, it would be wise to be cautious. Mitarashi Anko is an orphan and Orochimaru-sa… _Orochimaru_ has raised her and trained her for most of her life. It would be prudent on our part ensure that her loyalties are with Konoha."

Yondaime maintained a stern gaze on his new advisor but understood Fugaku's point. He couldn't let his sympathy for Anko blind him. However, Naruaki's eagerness to help Anko provided him with some relief, letting him know that his leniency wouldn't came back to bite him.

Nevertheless, he'd be cautious. "You're correct." He acknowledged to Fugaku, "However, even if she were a threat, Naruaki is by no means weak. If a problem arises, I have full confidence in his ability to deal with it."

Fugaku nodded, pleased that the Hokage had taken his suggestion without being offended. It meant that the Yondaime respected his opinions and considered them seriously. "Very well, Hokage-sama. Shall we co-"

"Ah, forgive me for my late arrival."

Itachi turned to look at the newcomer with wide eyes. He had noted his father's surprise at the abrupt presence. It was clear that he hadn't sensed Namikaze-sama's arrival. To escape his father's sharp perception and battle-trained senses, the man had to be good.

"Naruaki! Finally." Yondaime greeted with a smile, "Did the sealing go well?"

Naruaki gracefully greeted the Uchiha duo before turning his attention towards the Kage to answer, "Yes. Mitarashi was very receptive, easily accepting the seal. Since she had no desire to utilize the power, I was able to create a very strong Containment seal on it." The younger Namikaze sounded pleased, "Morino-san has taken her for a preliminary interrogation… just to make sure that she is loyal to Konoha."

Fugaku looked discreetly pleased while Yondaime only sighed. He was relieved that his prodigious interrogator had the presence of mind to cover his slips. "That's good." He looked at Naruaki and asked him to take a seat. "We need to discuss Itachi-kun's apprenticeship with you." He informed, "He's only five years old. What's your plan, Naruaki?"

The younger Namikaze glanced at Itachi and tilted his head to the side in consideration. "He'll be joining the Academy soon, I assume?" He asked Fugaku.

The Uchiha nodded, "He'll be joining in the up-coming term. He has shown a lot of promise so the Elders and I have decided to let him join early."

All of them noted that Naruaki didn't seem too impressed with that admission. However, the Fuuin Jutsu expert didn't voice his opinion on the matter. He turned towards Itachi and observed him quietly for a long moment.

"Itachi-kun," Naruaki asked after a while, "I'm aware that ninja clans train their potential ninja before they even join the Academy. What have you learned?"

The Uchiha heir glanced at his father before answering, "I've been training in TaiJutsu, chakra molding and detection, Hand-seals and stamina." He gazed at Naruaki intently, hoping to observe his reaction but the Namikaze remained impassive. "I've also been working on my speed."

Naruaki raised a brow and looked at Fugaku with begrudging respect, "I must commend you, Uchiha-san. You've established a solid base for Itachi-kun." When Fugaku nodded, accepting the praise with pride, Naruaki smiled faintly, "And adding Hand-sealing exercises at such a young age means that Itachi-kun would grow to be truly proficient in that small but very vital aspect of being a ninja."

Fugaku bowed, "I thank you for your kind words."

Naruaki leaned back in thought, "Itachi-kun, since you're already training with the basics that I wished to train you with, we must proceed to something that is the foundation to FuuinJutsu."

Itachi leaned forward in interest, eager to learn more about the obscure field.

Naruaki smirked, "Its time to practice calligraphy."

"_Calligraphy?_" Itachi whispered in an incredulous tone, sorely disappointed. Even Fugaku looked put out.

Yondaime chuckled, shaking his head, "Itachi-kun, calligraphy is the best way to ensure precision in sealing. With NinJutsu and GenJutsu, you need to practice Hand-seals, correct?" Itachi nodded. "With Fuuin Jutsu, you need to have a steady hand, the ability to write the runes in precise, clear handwriting and to write it as fast as possible. Advanced seals rely on a specialist being able to mould chakra in a precise pattern without the aid of drawn seals. However, before that you must learn the basics."

"Mould chakra?" Itachi asked, trying to understand the concept. "Aren't all seals drawn?"

"The Fuuin Jutsu that I use," Minato said with a smile, "Are quite inferior to what Naruaki is capable of." He admitted, much to Fugaku and Itachi's amazement. "The type of chakra manipulation required for some of Naruaki's advanced seals is beyond me. I doubt, Tsunade, with her masterful chakra control could manage it."

Naruaki scoffed, "It has nothing to do with _control_." He looked faintly disgusted, "Chakra control as about as graceful as a rampaging rhino. Fuuin jutsu requires a certain elegance and flexibility, not control. In FuuinJutsu, you don't control your chakra, you work alongside it, working with its natural tendencies. And to answer your question," he turned to Itachi, "No, not all Fuuin Jutsu are drawn on a surface. However, that concept is too advanced. You'll only understand it after you have a sufficient grasp on the basics."

Naruaki looked at Fugaku, "Uchiha-san, I can't legally take him on as an apprentice until he has graduated from the Academy. While he's in the Academy, let him learn everything at a steady pace. Calligraphy will take a while to master. After that, when I'm satisfied with his performance, I'll introduce him to Fuuin Jutsu theory."

He offered a scroll to Itachi. "Purchase calligraphy materials and we'll start working on that."

The Uchiha heir opened the scroll and his eyes widened. He had never seen such elegantly formed characters. All of the kanji were neat, precise and of the same size. There were no overt flourishes or sloppiness, just clean, humble script where the beauty of kanji was displayed proudly, unadorned.

"Beautiful." Itachi breathed, finding some unknown power in those words. They were small but seemed so intimidating.

Suddenly, the prospect of calligraphy didn't seem so disappointing.

Fugaku looked at the elegantly written script and nodded with reluctant appreciation, "Calligraphy is a good skill for the heir of our noble clan to have."

Minato and Naruaki exchanged amused looks but didn't comment on Fugaku's inflated pride.

"Well, then" Minato said, "You agree to sign the apprenticeship papers when Itachi has graduated? You're aware that you'll be granting him a partial guardianship over the child?"

Fugaku nodded, unconcerned. Partial guardianship was a powerful tool. It allowed to teacher to dictate almost every aspect of his student's ninja life. Naruaki would gain access to many privileges.

However, Naruaki wouldn't be able to override Fugaku and Mikoto's decisions.

Nevertheless, the advantage was a boon. Naruaki was fairly confident in his powers of persuasion, knowing that he had the capability to convince Fugaku to see it his way.

Seeing that the deal was about to be finalized, Minato turned towards Itachi with a serious frown that replaced his comforting, jovial smile, "Itachi-kun, before your father signs the agreement on your behalf, I want you to understand something."

Itachi nodded, keeping his gaze on the Hokage. "Apprenticeship isn't like normal genin-jounin mentoring relationship. You'll have a jounin leader once you graduate from the Academy but he'll only guide you on missions and teamwork. Naruaki will always be your primary mentor and his word is absolute. The privilege of apprenticeship comes at a price." He narrowed his eyes sternly, "As I said before, Naruaki's Fuuin Jutsu skills are an asset to Konoha. He can take only one apprentice at a time. You _will_ be completely dedicated to mastering the art. I won't tolerate any failure in that department. If you slack off, I _will_ terminate the contract, even if I have to go against Naruaki's wishes to do it."

Naruaki's eyes widened and Itachi paled. "Yondaime-sa-"

Yondaime raised his hand to silence Naruaki as Fugaku looked on with a neutral look on his face. "Itachi-kun, my little brother seems to have confidence in your skills. I expect you to work very hard. Fuuin Jutsu is an intricate and delicate field of study. You'll work outside your natural advantages."

At Itachi's confused look, Fugaku continued the explanation, hoping to soothe some of the nervousness that his son was trying to conceal. "Yondaime is speaking of the Sharingan, Itachi." He informed, "If there is one thing that Sharingan can't analyze or predict, it's Fuuin Jutsu."

The Uchiha heir nodded in understanding, glancing at his soon-to-be teacher. Namikaze-sama was intimidating to look at. Unlike his older brother, he seemed more serious and stern yet there was a relaxed air around him.

Itachi stood suddenly and bowed to Naruaki with respect, "Namikaze-sama, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to learn your art. I promise to dedicate myself to its study and do justice to your skill. I will not bring disgrace to your name."

Minato looked at Itachi in surprise, startled to see such a mature, eloquent speech coming from a five-year-old kid. Even Fugaku looked a bit surprised and proud.

However, Naruaki seemed to expect such maturity from Itachi. The younger Namikaze only nodded in approval before turning to Yondaime, "It's settled then."

The Yondaime gazed at Naruaki for a while, "Are you certain you're ready to accept the responsibility of a student?" he asked, "As much I would love to have Fuuin Jutsu passed on in Konoha, there's no need to rush it."

Fugaku looked a little unsettled, not wanting the opportunity to slip. However, Naruaki laid his fears to rest with a confident reply. "I'm ready."

Minato smiled, "Very well. If everything is agreed upon, we can move forward." He handed over a scroll to Fugaku, "Naruaki has already read and approved of the terms. Please read the contract thoroughly, Uchiha-san. If you have any problems with it, we shall address it immediately."

"Hokage-sama." An ANBU appeared, handing a scroll to the Yondaime, "A missive from the Council."

Naruaki raised a brow, "A last ditch attempt before they lose all power?" He asked sarcastically.

Minato chuckled and Fugaku smirked, "They've finally agreed upon the representative from the general council." He turned towards the ANBU, "Have them assembled in an hour. Ask Dr. Aikawa Shizuka to come here within an hour." He ordered. The ANBU nodded silently and left without a sound.

"Speaking of the General Council." Fugaku said, looking at Minato seriously, "Yondaime-sama, if I may suggest something?"

Minato looked at him in puzzlement but nodded, "Of course."

"Sir, when you defeated that large contingent of Iwagakure ninja, your clan was awarded Noble status for services rendered and given land, correct?" Fugaku asked. Minato only nodded, wondering where the conversation was leading. "Your clan was awarded a seat in the General council as well, wasn't it?"

"You can't exactly call my little family a clan but yes." Minato nodded only to frown in confusion when Naruaki started chuckling. "Naruaki?"

"Interesting point, Uchiha-san. How very cunning of you." The younger Namikaze said.

The Hokage looked at his eldest and raised a brow, "I can't hold that seat, Naruaki. As a Hokage, I must give up all other offices. So Namikaze clan seat falls vac-" Minato paused, his eyes widening, "I see." A slow, sly smirk crossed the Hokage's features, "I must agree with Naruaki, you're very sly, Uchiha-san."

Itachi looked confused but quickly redirected his attention to the scroll, knowing it wasn't his place to speak in a conversation between adults.

Fugaku bowed with a faint smile, "Pleased to be of service, Hokage-sama."

Minato chuckled and leaned back in his head, "So we instate Naruaki as a proxy in the Namikaze seat?"

"Exactly, Hokage-sama." The Uchiha confirmed, "Just to keep the seat active. It is unwise to give up a hereditary political advantage. Being amongst the upper echelons might help Namikaze-sama settle more comfortably in our village's political structure. He may also earn the trust of many important people by wisely using that position."

Yondaime arched a brow and maintained a smile. "He might. But are you certain that adding such a young boy into the Council would be appreciated by the others."

Fugaku shook his head, "Age is irrelevant as long as the person recommended is competent."

Naruaki, for some reason, seemed very amused. "I wonder what the Sandaime-sama's friends will pull this time." He chuckled, "The General Council representative would be completely in their pocket, I assume."

"Namikaze-sama," Fugaku turned to Naruaki, a gleam of reluctant respect in his eyes, "Is it wise to provoke Danzo?"

A smile of approval crossed Naruaki's lips, "Ah, someone recognizes that old man's cunning." He leaned forward with a smirk that was terrifying, "Believe me, I wouldn't be surprised if a man like Danzo find a way to thwart Yondaime-sama's plan."

Naruaki earned a faintly surprised look for addressing his supposed brother so formally from the Uchiha Clan Head. However, the older shinobi dismissed it and shrugged, "Danzo has been entrenched in Konoha's politics since before Yondaime-sama was born. It wouldn't be easy to curtail his power."

"Oh?" Naruaki asked, pretending to be clueless of Danzo's history. "Interesting. You do realize that those who are successful enough in politics to stay in power for so long generally have more than a few skeletons in their closet."

Minato chuckled, "Danzo certainly isn't a saint, that's for sure."

Fugaku looked at the Hokage, "What do you plan to do, Hokage-sama? You'll allow Danzo's spy to be on the council?"

Naruaki and Minato smirked at the same time, the resemblance between them so uncanny that it astounded the Uchiha. He had been observing the two interact ever since the meeting started. Naruaki's strange, stiff formality in address did cause some doubts in his mind but Fugaku spotted some undeniable similarities.

Those truly skeptical could pass off the obvious resemblance in looks as coincidence. However, the small, subtle gestures served to allay those suspicions. Yondaime-sama and his brother definitely shared the same smile. Their postures were remarkably alike as well. That surprised Fugaku, considering that the two had only met for the first time a few months ago.

"Uchiha-san," Minato said with a slight, almost serene smile, "Where will I get my amusement if I have no opponent to cross swords with?"

Naruaki snorted with a sly grin and Minato chuckled, "Being the Hokage isn't the most interesting job for an active, competitive guy like me."

Fugaku looked from one Namikaze to another, feeling a drop of nervous sweat roll down his temple.

He pitied that arrogant old fool who called himself an expert manipulator. Danzo didn't stand a chance.

* * *

Naruaki was waiting for it. Yondaime had made the first move in the silent war between Danzo and the Hokage. He had pushed the old warmonger into a corner and Danzo was deadly when pushed into a corner.

The young Namikaze felt his lips curl into an excited smile as he hid himself in the shadows of the council chamber. It wasn't so long ago when the subtleties of politics were completely beyond his grasp. He had been that naïve, idealistic child thinking that his physical strength and skills would be enough to protect his precious people.

Naruaki spoke of honor, courage and fairness, sprouting those righteous speeches that turned his enemies into allies. Those ideals had no place in the ninja world.

And if ninja battle was a nasty example of trickery and deceit, ninja politics was an entirely different pool of slime.

He had learned those valuable lessons in the game of manipulation from Danzo himself. He learned the fine art of subtle taunts and provocations, of sly, pretty words and hidden agendas from the warmonger.

It was Danzo's misfortune that he had no qualms about using his teacher's techniques against him.

He watched silently as the General council appeared for its final meeting before everything changed. Danzo had a neutral expression on his face as he waited for Yondaime to arrive but Naruaki wasn't fooled.

There was an air of smugness about Danzo made Naruaki grin in anticipation. The old man had something planned and he couldn't wait to thwart it and shatter his plans into dust.

He watched as his father took his seat, looking as composed as ever. He had to admit that Minato was a masterful actor. He sat there as though nothing fazed him. His steady, intent gaze made most of the councilors nervous.

"Now that Hokage-sama is here," Danzo began, without even bothering to solicit Yondaime's permission. "We need to discuss the new council. As per Yondaime-sama's new decree, a five member advisory council is to be established and the rest of the General council will remain untouched. Everyone would have a chance to be on the Advisory body for five years." Danzo said, repeating the information that they already knew.

The old man paced a little before facing Minato. "We have, after much thought, decided that I shall be the candidate for the position."

Naruaki forced back the sudden rage in his blood, his body going rigid with shock and fury. How had Danzo managed to convince everyone that he was a good candidate?

He quickly glanced at his father, watching in surprise as Yondaime gazed at Danzo steadily, seemingly expecting the sudden declaration.

"Very well." Yondaime replied with impressive composure, not the least bit rattled. Even Danzo seemed unnerved by the lack of response.

Minato leaned back, efficiently holding back a satisfied smile. He'd keep an eye on Danzo and make certain that the old man finally learned his place. Besides, five years now meant that Danzo wouldn't be able to interfere for ten years later.

He glanced at his son and withheld a smirk when he saw realization dawn on Naruaki's countenance.

Danzo had just made a massive mistake. He had a trump card in his possession and he made a rookie mistake of using it too early. The next five years would only involve planning and training. Even his plans for Orochimaru didn't begin after five years. Was the old warmonger so unnerved by the prospect of loosing his power that he recklessly jumped on the chance to regain it?

"Good." Danzo said, a tad bit condescendingly and Naruaki resisted the urge to throttle the man. He never realized just how protective he had become of his father. Even the slightest disrespect or disobedience against the Yondaime set his teeth on edge. Naruaki carefully reigned in his Killing Intent, hoping to keep everyone's attention off him.

His father, of course, didn't seem the slightest bit offended at the subtle disrespect that Danzo continued to show. It was a prime example of what it took to be a Hokage.

Not everyone loved you.

"Now," Minato began, "I'll present the full council to you. There're no leaders in this Advisory body. All five of them have equal power. The General Council representative elected by me is Uchiha Fugaku." The Uchiha nodded in acknowledgement, "The elected representative by the council is Shimura Danzo. Aikawa Shizuka-san" he gestured towards the elegant woman dressed in a simple but attractive kimono, "Is the civilian representative."

The brief look of dismay and displeasure on Danzo's face was enough for Minato to know that he had made the correct choice.

"As the General of ANBU, Nakagawa Sousuke-san will have a seat in the Advisory body. General of Oinin, Kurogane Reina-san will have a seat as well."

Danzo didn't look pleased. No one in the Advisory Council was susceptible to his manipulation. The Uchiha thought too well of himself and his new friendly association with the Namikaze clan to actually listen to Danzo's sly words. The Generals were completely out of his influence. While Danzo didn't really consider women to be strong or useful, he had to admit that Kurogane Reina wasn't someone to mess with.

She was a well-feared name amongst the Missing Nin, almost as feared as the Hokage himself.

That Nakagawa bastard was Yondaime's best friend and as much as he'd love to turn Minato's friend against him, Danzo knew it was impossible.

It came down to the Civilian representative and he had hoped, desperately, that Minato would choose from the merchant guild. They were easily corruptible.

However, Aikawa Shizuka was the current head of the Aikawa clan. Her lineage was a noble one. While they were primarily civilian, they descended from the samurai class and their code of honor was strict and unmovable.

Shizuka herself was no slouch. One of the best medics ever to grace Konoha since Tsunade, she was a formidable woman. Under her genial demeanor was a mind that was diamond-sharp and skills that ensured her a place amongst the most respected people in Konoha.

Danzo narrowed his eyes at the Hokage, wondering if that idealistic bastard and specifically chosen a council that would thwart his plans.

"There are some other agendas that we need to discuss." Yondaime said, "And they require the attention of the entire General Council. Let us consider this the first run for the new Advisory Council. I've bee-"

"Before we discuss that, I've a question to ask you, Hokage-sama." Danzo interrupted and others in the room looked astonished by his lack of respect. Even Homura and Koharu looked a little unnerved.

Danzo was going to pull out the big guns.

Minato looked at him and rose a brow in question, "Go ahead, Danzo." He accepted, pointedly dropping the '_san_' honorific while keeping his chilling gaze focused on the old man.

The Commander of Root leaned back, ignoring the lack of respect with an air of satisfaction. He had managed, somewhat, to irritate the Hokage.

"We were informed that Orochimaru of the Sannin has attacked Sarutobi and escaped Konoha." Danzo said, "My question is, Hokage-sama, why wasn't he stopped?"

Naruaki stilled.

Minato looked at Danzo and laced his fingers in front of his mouth, "The Hunter nin came back unsuccessful." He sent a glance of apology towards Kurogane Reina who simply shrugged, not bothered by it.

"Orochimaru didn't gain his legendary status was nothing, Danzo-san." Hyuuga Hiashi said calmly, his support for Yondaime always unwavering. "Besides, to my knowledge, even Jiraiya-sama went against him and was defeated."

"Of course he was defeated." Danzo said firmly, concealing a sneer of distaste, "Just like Sarutobi was defeated. They're all softhearted fools swayed by false bonds of friendship and affection." He leveled a stare at Minato, "But I expected better from Minato."

There was a faint, collective gasp at the informal and rude address.

"What do you suggest that I should've done?" Minato asked. "Sandaime-sama and Jiraiya-sensei couldn't stop him. I wouldn't risk the lives of my Oinin when there's no chance of success."

"You could've taken care of it yourself, Hokage-sama." Nara Shikaku said reluctantly. As much as he respected Minato, he couldn't ignore the fact that Minato hadn't acted against Orochimaru with full strength. It was his duty as the member of the council to question the Hokage's actions if he seemed to falter. "You've defeated Orochimaru soundly before."

Danzo felt a smirk cross his dry lips as all the members of the General Council turned to Minato for answers. This was a good opportunity to discredit Minato.

Naruaki wondered how his father would deal that accusation. Nara did have a point and Danzo was observant enough to capitalize on it. He wondered if letting Orochimaru go was the best decision they had made in light of current turn of events.

However, he underestimated his father's intelligence and presence of mind.

"You lot are getting very brave." Minato said slowly, his voice holding a low, dangerous edge that unnerved everyone. He raised his eyes to level them with a spine-chilling stare. "In matters of Konoha's security, there are very few I trust." He leaned back and crossed his legs elegantly, "Very well, I'll be generous today."

Naruaki raised a brow in curiosity when he saw all the members of the Council squirm with discomfort. Only the Sousuke-san and he were unfazed by Minato's demeanor.

"I've long suspected Orochimaru of deceit." He said, surprising all of them. Naruaki realized it that a lie but it was so masterfully played that no one had a reason to suspect Yondaime. "For the past few months, I've been reevaluating many of Konoha's established systems to look for flaws." He informed, concealing a smirk at Danzo's sudden discomfort. "There've been some rather alarming lapses in security. There've been attempts to steal from the Hokage's library. Some research from our Research Facilities show signs of tampering. That and a few other such findings led me to investigate the problems in full."

Danzo suddenly paled.

"_One _of the culprits turned out to be Orochimaru. My investigators, however, found that he wasn't the only one that was actively endangering Konoha's interests." Minato said stoically. "Moreover, I've received some information that could, potentially, harm Konoha. Such threats must be dealt with caution and I'm not going to reveal such sensitive information to appease your pride, ladies and gentlemen."

Hyuuga Hiashi concealed a wince and said nothing, closing his eyes to suppress the slight pain he felt at Minato's lack of trust.

Danzo stayed quiet, unwilling to provoke Minato just yet. The Hokage seemed very close to finding out about his activities and Danzo wasn't willing to let that happen.

"But Hokage-sama," Koharu protested, "You can't just conceal such vital information from us! We have the right to know."

Minato scoffed, "Madam, you have those rights only if I allow you to have them." He answered bluntly, "This is a Ninja village and I'm your Lord." He narrowed his eyes in warning, "I shall do as I deem fit for the security of this village. I have people whose loyalty to our village is absolute. They have no _personal _agendas." He glanced at Danzo with a slight smirk, "And unless all of you can convince me today that you aren't putting your personal delusions of power and clan pride over the well being of the village, I won't trust you."

Every person in the room recoiled at the blunt reply. Even Naruaki seemed disturbed by his father's sudden anger.

Minato scowled at them, "Someone is this village is messing with that which is under my protection. If I catch that person, I'll bring him to his knees and skin him alive in front of the entire village." Everyone paled, "And I'm not kidding. Orochimaru was let go because I have plans for him. That's all that you need to know. I'll not be questioned further on this matter."

Utter silence greeted him. No one dared to say a word after Minato uncharacteristically angry reprimand. They had gotten so used to the Yondaime's cheerful and friendly demeanor that they had forgotten why he was one of the most feared shinobi in the ninja world.

"Konoha has long been known as one of the strongest villages. We were the first hidden village to be established. We've survived many wars and skirmishes. Most of us have personally sacrificed something for the good of this village." Minato said seriously, "A couple of months ago, I lost my wife, nearly lost my brother and my son because of a faceless enemy who summoned Kyuubi directly to Konoha. Now I find that there are people in this village who have indirectly associated with this man."

Several sets of eyes widened at that information.

"I've realized that some people in Konoha need to learn valuable lessons." He fixed his eyes on Danzo and continued, "Some of you have accused me of being soft." He stated, "And I've realized that you're correct. I followed in my predecessor's footsteps," Sandaime winced, "And allowed too much freedom. From now on, I'll be more vigilant and you _will_ feel its effects."

The Hokage gestured his assistant to come forward and distribute the files that he wanted the council to read. "I have a few proposals to present. Keep in mind that while I'll consider your opinion, these proposals are untouchable. They _will_ come into effect whether you agree or not. I've already consulted with the Generals, Uchiha-san and Aikawa-san over the matter. While Danzo's approval would be appreciated, it isn't needed. The majority has already provided me with the approval I need."

Nara Shikaku swallowed at the oppressive air in the council chamber. He had never seen Minato look so pissed off. Maybe it hadn't been wise to question the Hokage after all. He really didn't want to lose the Yondaime's favor.

"As of now," Minato began, "I'm establishing a committee for Academic Excellence. I've had some complaints about the standard of teaching in the Academy. Hyuuga Hiashi-san will be chairing this committee." Hiashi nodded, relieved that the Yondaime hadn't completely disregarded him. "I give Hyuuga-san the liberty to chose the members and present them to me for approval. This committee will study the current Academic system and report all the problems and flaws in the system to me."

Hiashi nodded.

"After that report is prepared, I'd like Hyuuga-san to present to me potential solutions and alterations in the system. This position is a permanent privilege unless your performance is questioned, Hyuuga-san."

"I shan't disappoint you, Hokage-sama."

Yondaime looked at the Hyuuga clan head and nodded, "I have faith in your ability."

"The current Genin organizational system also needs some correction. I'll deal with that problem personally along with my advisors." The people in front of him nodded, afraid to argue with anything at this point.

Minato ignored their frantic eagerness to please and continued speaking, "Aikawa-san will be chairing a committee for Civilian Welfare. She'll select the members for this committee from amongst prominent and responsible citizens. This committee will never interfere in any shinobi matters. However, they're responsible for giving me regular reports on our civilian population." Shizuka nodded with a faint, stunning smile.

"Morino Ibiki-san has been informed. From now on, every shinobi in our ranks will undergo a mandatory evaluation every year. I'll not tolerate traitors in my service. Morino-san will be working with Yamanaka Inoichi-san and forming a committee to carry out the evaluations. The Generals will evaluate those in the ANBU and Oinin factions every six months. These evaluations are mandatory and if anyone misses it without a sound reason, that person will be arrested, his memory will be wiped completely and then he would be exiled."

At this point, no one even dared to blink, much less speak. The fear in the chamber at reached new heights and even Danzo felt that he had somehow unleashed a monster.

"Danzo, Sandaime-sama banned _Ne._" He said, "But I'm well aware that it still exists." The old warmonger felt a drop of cold sweat roll down his cheek. "You _will_ submit an entire report on the strength of your organization, along with the _true_ names and origins of those shinobi. If you do this, I'll allow this organization to exist and take care of the more _delicate_ missions that we get." He narrowed his eyes, "However, if you refuse to cooperate, I'll raze your organization and kill _every single_ Root ANBU in my ranks personally. Do you comprehend me? If you don't submit to the will of the Hokage, you're a traitor and I'll not tolerate traitors."

Danzo stayed silent for a long moment before nodding stiffly. "Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Good." Yondaime said, "From tomorrow onwards, my brother and I will be conducting a thorough upgrade of the Security Seals on Konoha. These seals shall remain confidential and I will _not_ allow anyone access to the original designs. These seals will prevent anyone from entering Konoha without permission. We will also be implementing several Emergency Response Seals in case Konoha ever faces an invasion. The details of those seals will also be confidential."

Again, he only got silent nods in response. His frigid blue eyes roamed over all those who were present in the council room, finally landing on Naruaki. "On a smaller, more personal matter, Naruaki will be taking my seat as the Namikaze clan representative in the council. He has the right to be present in all General Council meetings."

No one dared to voice protest.

Minato nodded curtly and stood, "You're all dismissed." He said impassively before sweeping out of the room.

Naruaki was quick to follow and Sousuke didn't waste time either. They hurried after the Yondaime into his office and closed the doors, ensuring that no noise left the room.

When it was safe, Naruaki let loose. His loud, uncontrollable laughter rang throughout the room. The young Namikaze leaned against the wall, holding his stomach as he laughed helplessly while Minato looked on with a fond smile and Sousuke shook his head.

"I…I cc…can't believe t…that happened." Naruaki gasped out weakly, his blue eyes shining brilliantly in amusement.

Just as Naruaki managed to control himself, Sousuke remarked dryly, "Pity that Danzo didn't get a heart attack. That would've been an amusing sight."

Minato snorted, "I don't know about a heart attack, but he seemed pretty close to losing control of his bladder."

Another wave of helpless, joyful laughter followed.

Naruaki hadn't had so much fun in years. To see Danzo so completely outsmarted and suppressed was a brilliant gift. He couldn't thank his father enough. With his eyes shining in mirth, he gazed at his father with an uncharacteristically open smile. He was getting more and more comfortable in the man's presence, so much so that he was slowly forgetting the training that Danzo had instilled in him.

He may never be able to return to that cheerful boy that he was but he was, at least regaining some of his ability to smile.

"As amusing as that was," Sousuke began seriously, "You took a great risk, Minato. To confront Danzo so directly wasn't wise. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts sending assassins after you."

Naruaki's good humor abruptly left him. He had forgotten about that. Moreover, they had baby Naruto to consider. He wouldn't put it past Danzo to attempt a kidnapping of the child just to weaken Yondaime.

"He wouldn't risk it now." Minato replied calmly, "He'll wait for the right time before he attempts anything. While it is unlikely that he'll succeed, I'll take all the necessary precautions to ensure that he doesn't benefit in any way from my death."

The young ANBU winced, sharing a dismayed glance with Sousuke. Thinking back on Danzo's method of operation, he shook his head. "No. He won't come right out an assassinate you but he might try to compromise your credibility." He looked at his father with a frown, "You're well loved and respected in Konoha. If you're assassinated, the uproar could ruin Danzo and everything that he has built over the years. I'm certain that he wouldn't take that risk." Naruaki crossed his arms and sighed, "Danzo rarely likes to get his hands dirty. Assassination will be an option only if all else fails."

Suddenly, a thought struck him and he looked at his father, "However, we may be mistaken. Danzo is supremely loyal to Konoha. He was against the soft ideals of Sandaime and his complacent attitude. Today's performance showed him that you weren't going to sit back and just take it. He likes that. Your swift and merciless approach would most likely please him."

Minato frowned, "You're saying that he might back out?"

Naruaki shook his head, "I don't know for certain but there's a distinct possibility of that happening." He admitted, "After he gets over his bruised pride, he might see your actions today as a good sign of Konoha's future. You did exactly what he would've done."

"I'm a bit baffled by this." Sousuke admitted, "If Danzo is so loyal to Konoha, why does he actively work to compromise its interest?"

Minato frowned and looked at Naruaki for answers. The same question had been bothering him for a while. He had first assumed that Danzo was just a power-hungry politician but Naruaki quickly disabused him of that notion. Still, he was confused by Danzo's actions and his motivations.

"To Danzo, Konoha is an ideal." Naruaki answered, looking for the right words to explain. "When we look at Konoha, we see its people, its future generations, our precious ones and friends. To us, they're Konoha." Yondaime and Sousuke nodded in agreement. "Danzo isn't like that. He's ready and willing to sacrifice anyone and anything for the ideal of Konoha." Naruaki combed his fingers through his hair in frustration. He didn't feel he was explaining the situation properly. "According to him, Konoha rightfully deserves to lead all villages. He has always longed to be that leader who'd unite the Ninja world under one banner. He's ready to risk war… indeed many wars, to accomplish that goal."

Naruaki sighed before continuing, "When you sealed the Kyuubi in me." He said seriously, ignoring Minato's flinch. "You did it because you wished to save our village. You also did it out of your love for me. You trusted me to handle the Kyuubi. You trusted me to handle Madara. Your belief and confidence in me was absolute… so much so that it overcame my own doubts." He acknowledged, "Had Danzo been in your position, he would've had someone else person the seal simply because it would give Konoha a Jinchuuriki. Never the one to trust others, he would've taken me in his custody and molded me into a weapon that only he could wield. That's the difference between the two of you. You love Konoha with equal strength and passion but there are some limits that you wouldn't cross. Danzo has no such reservations."

Yondaime frowned, "I see."

Naruaki nodded and just as he was about to speak more, a familiar chakra announced its presence. The ANBU looked at his wristwatch just as Kakashi appeared in a shower of leaves.

"Yo." The masked man greeted with a lazy wave, "Maa, such a serious atmosphere." He commented, his single eyes curving in amusement.

Minato chuckled, "Kakashi-kun, it has been a while… taking good care of yourself, I hope?"

"Aa, sensei. I always take good care of myself." Kakashi replied nonchalantly. "How's Naruto-chan doing? I'd like to come visit him sometime."

"You can always join us for dinner tomorrow." Naruaki offered as he stood, "None of us have missions and Yondaime-sama can always come home a little early." He glanced at his father for permission, "Isn't that correct?"

Minato glanced at the two teenagers and raised a brow. He had assumed that Naruaki disliked Kakashi but they seemed quite comfortable in each other's presence. He shrugged, "I don't mind. We might as well invite Rin-chan." He looked at his best friend and raised a brow, "Free tomorrow evening?"

Sousuke smirked, "I guess I can clear my schedule for a while. I'd like to meet Naruto-chan as well."

"It's decided then." Minato nodded in satisfaction, "I'll alert the cook."

"That's good." Naruaki said as he shrugged on his coat, "We'll be leaving then." He said and moved to follow Kakashi out of the office.

Minato frowned, "Wait, Kakashi-kun, did you have some business with me?"

Kakashi shrugged, "Not really." He admitted, "I actually came for this guy," he gestured at Naruaki, "Searched for him in his favorite haunts. Even went to your manor. He wasn't there so I guessed he would be here."

Minato narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the two innocent looking boys, "What are you two up to?"

"Nothing." They chimed together, causing Sousuke to raise a brow and smirk while Minato scowled.

The Hokage wasn't going to buy that. "Of course, the two of you just decided to meet up, without any reason. Forgive me if I fail to believe you."

Naruaki shared an innocent glance with Kakashi and shrugged, "We're just going to go out for a drink with some buddies." He said casually, "We heard that Satou-san has a fresh batch of sake from Rice country. Gai and the others would be joining us."

Minato raised a brow, "Sake." He deadpanned.

"Yes, sake." Naruaki repeated slowly, looking at Minato with a puzzled frown.

Kakashi chuckled and leaned against the wall to watch the show. Minato-sensei could be ridiculously protective sometimes.

"And you just assumed," Minato commented dryly, "that I'll allow you to go get drunk. Just like that."

Naruaki blinked, looking at Kakashi and then back at Yondaime, puzzled. "Yes?" he replied. "Its just a sake night. What's the problem?"

"You're sixteen." Yondaime said, "You aren't drinking sake until you're at least twenty one."

Naruaki gaped, "Are you mad?" he asked, "And what about Kakashi?"

Minato shrugged, "I'd forbid him too. Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of authority over him."

Kakashi chuckled, "I warned you that he'd be like this, Naruaki."

"Maa, Minato." Sousuke said, watching the proceedings with amusement, "Let the boys have their fun. It's unfair to deny Naruaki his share of time to relax. He has been working very hard for the past few weeks after all."

"It's alright." Kakashi waved casually, "I suspected this would happen. Really, sensei, I knew you were going object." He looked at Naruaki, "We're meeting at the new Ichiraku Ramen place has opened up. They've some special offers on for their first week in business."

Naruaki raised a brow at the mention of his old, and still favorite haunt and nodded in agreement. Sake really didn't hold a candle against the sheer awesomeness of Ramen.

Minato nodded, Ichiraku was a relatively safe place that served only ramen. He knew just how much Naruaki loved Ramen. He sighed, wishing he could join them and eyed the paperwork on his desk warily.

"They really need to post a warning sign on his job saying '_Beware! Paperwork ahead._'" Minato complained ruefully.

Naruaki chuckled and shook his head in amazement, "It still baffles me that all four Hokage, being legends in their own right, simply forget the small, curious little advantage of Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

Minato froze, looking at Naruaki incredulously, unable to believe that it could be that simple.

Kakashi shook his head and led Naruaki out of the office, concealing a smirk. The young Namikaze only tilted his head, as he perceived the devious expression in Kakashi's exposed eye.

Sousuke watched in amusement as the two left the office and turned to Minato with a chuckle, "You do realize that it's a Sake Special Night at Ichiraku?"

Minato's eyes widened, "_**What?**_"

"You got hoodwinked, Minato." Sousuke informed his friend bluntly.

The Hokage's verily swelled with rage, "That Kakashi! He's trying to corrupt my son!"

The General of the ANBU forces just smiled in amusement as Minato ranted and raged in his office.

All in all, it had been a good day.


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: Guardian of Fire.**

**Author: Agni**

**Warnings: AU, Time travel, a bit of OOC but not too much.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**AN: Hello, this is a long chapter and something I'm rather uncertain about. I had to rewrite this chapter after my PC died on me and erased all my data. I had stored all my important documents on an external drive but I didn't think keep updating it. All my recent documents were lost, including the recent chapters of not only Guardian of Fire, but also Unspoken Bonds, Hyakumensou and Kazoku.**

**Now, onto my next dilemma. This story is at a point where it demands a time-skip. The problem is that Naruto canon has so much happening between Naruto's birth and the time when he becomes a genin. The Uchiha massacre and the Hyuuga incident are prime examples of that. While I think Naruaki will prevent the Uchiha massacre from happening, I'd like to see how the presence of Yondaime and Naruaki affects the Hyuuga incident and the political repercussions that follow. **

**If I do a series of time-skips, I'll ruin the quality of this fic. If I do a single time-skip straight to the Rookie Nine arc, it disregard two very important events. I think everyone wants Naruto to play a more active part in the story. A Naruto raised by Minato and Naruaki would be magnificent, ne? **

**I'm still thinking over what to do and if any of you have any suggestions, I'm willing to listen to them. Please don't hesitate to voice your opinions!**

* * *

**- _Seven -_**

* * *

"Now, what're you brooding about?" Minato asked as he settled in front of Naruaki in the study. "Any new scheme rolling about in that devious mind of yours?"

The young Namikaze leveled a flat stare at his father. "Devious mind? You're the one with a head full of schemes. I must admit, though, the way you dealt with Danzo was masterful."

Naruaki's frown did convey some doubts though. Minato leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his eyes keen on his eldest. "There's something bothering you." He commented, "Would you care to share?"

The ANBU took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair to gather his thoughts. "The power of hindsight is truly something to marvel that." He stated softly, "At that moment, I was enjoying the Danzo's dressing down at your hands too much to think of it but…" he looked up, meeting his father's gaze, "Are you sure that we need to be that strict? Many could- _would_ take the mandatory evaluations as a sign of distrust, you know. We can't afford to let them think you can't trust your own people, Yondaime-sama."

Yondaime chuckled, "One thing that I learned from being a Hokage is to correct one's mistakes as soon as possible and to do so _discretely."_ He winked at Naruaki. "I'll let my shinobi know that they must go through the evaluations for their own safety and health. Mandatory psychological and physical evaluations will only benefit our people, after all. It would ensure that they aren't pushing themselves beyond their individual limits. Besides, I think that they can forgive me for losing my temper once in a while."

"You _are_ the Hokage." Naruaki commented and tilted his head to the side in thought. "As far as I can tell, such a thing doesn't exist in Konoha."

Minato shook his head, "Oh, it does. Only, people don't like to admit that they need help, least of all ninjas. Those evaluations have never been compulsory. There was a point when Tsunade-san insisted that we set up a system but Sandaime and his advisors were forced to dismiss it. We couldn't really afford to start a new system that consumed our resources during the Third War and after that… well, the topic never came up again. Since Tsunade-san is here until she's convinced that you're of perfect health, I asked Aikawa-san discuss our plans with her. With those two formidable ladies at the helm, I don't think anyone would _dare _ditch the evaluations."

The younger Namikaze raised a brow, "You're convinced that Tsunade-sama can be made to stay? What of her haemophobia?"

Minato shrugged, "I'm not sure if she'll stay but that doesn't stop me from taking advantage of her presence. Besides, I'll freely admit that I've no business interfering with her personal matters and I don't want to force the issue by pulling rank on her."

Naruaki frowned, "I'm sure that she'll listen if you try to talk to her."

The Hokage smiled in amusement, "You overestimate my powers of persuasion, son." He shook his head and looked at Naruaki fondly, "I'm not nearly as close to her as I think you were in… the future, I guess."

"I see." Naruaki whispered, "I don't think she'll come back unless her haemophobia is cured and the last time it was because my life was at risk." He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "The more I think of it, the more this time-travel business irks me. So many little details and they all culminate into one big event. It scares me to think that I'll be altering things drastically if I miss even the smallest detail."

The Yondaime chuckled; his expression was an odd mix of amusement and concern. "I can imagine the level of confusion. It doesn't help that you were a vital part of all those events. But Naruaki," he looked at the ANBU intently, "Try not to over think things. Unfortunately, there's only so much you can do. You'll drive yourself mad if you try to keep track of all those details."

Naruaki stood abruptly, his movements agitated. He realized that his father was giving him sound advice but that didn't mean that it was easy to follow. Having seen and experienced what he had, having lived through those numerous disasters that his village was subjected to, he couldn't ignore the sense of responsibility that he felt. Armed with all the needed information, he desperately wanted to do something.

Not for the first time, he wished that he had perfect memory recall. It was impossible to remember everything, every detail and try to somehow repair the damage he had done to the timeline by appearing in it.

So many good things had happened on the backs of epic disasters. It was during the Oto-Suna invasion of Konoha that he had befriended Gaara and set him on the right path. It was on the brink of death that he cured Tsunade of her haemophobia and brought her back to Konoha. It was because of Sandaime's death that he was forced to seek out Tsunade in the first place.

Those early steps… those key events had shaped the future.

He didn't know if doing things differently was the right way to go. On the other hand, by letting things be, he'd be silently directing many people to their deaths.

Naruaki wasn't sold on the whole concept of _Greater Good. _Far too many good and honest people had turned into monsters after adopting that ideology. To him, every single life that he put at risk due to his actions was his responsibility. The guilt of it would probably ruin him, which unfortunately, made him a _very_ bad Hokage candidate.

Shaking his head, he paced in front of his bemused father.

"Look," Minato interrupted after observing his eldest for a while. "You've to prioritize." He advised, "I realize that it must be difficult. You think that because you've the knowledge of the future, that you've the responsibility to prevent all disasters and save all lives."

Naruaki paused and looked at Minato; his father had hit the nail on its head.

The Hokage met his gaze with a serious expression. "It doesn't sound fair or right but you must pick and choose those events that you feel require your utmost attention. You can't save every soul out there so try and save as many as you can through your actions."

"How am I to choose?" Naruaki asked softly, "How?"

The Hokage was silent for a while. Just because he was a leader didn't really mean he had all the answers.

Just because he was a _father_ didn't mean he had all the answers.

There was a wry smile on his lips as he looked at Naruaki's troubled features, seeing that earnest gaze begging for answers. "You know, I became the Hokage the moment Iwa agreed to our call for ceasefire. Sandaime-sama just couldn't bear to look at the reports of casualties, the damage to our land and resources. He was tired and his shoulders could no longer bear the burden of a war-torn village."

Naruaki sat down slowly, sensing that Minato was about give a very long answer to his questions.

"When Konoha fell into my hands, she was almost on the edge of destruction." He confessed, "The war had gutted us financially and our ninja were forever scarred by the reality of it. There were many, like Kakashi, who were too young to be in the midst of it. Our relations with the other villages were tense. They were circling us like wolves, ready to pounce at the slightest show of weakness." The Yondaime shook his head, "Tsunade-sama left the village in disgust, distraught by the deaths of her precious people. Jiraiya-sensei couldn't handle it either; he used the excuse that he needed to rebuild his spy-network and left the village as soon as he could."

Naruaki shook his head, "I know." He confessed, "War is a nightmare but recovery from war is a different kind of pain…"

Minato smiled grimly, "Exactly. I was fortunate that I had that lofty name backing me up." He admitted with a chuckle, "The _Konoha no Kiiroi Senko,_" he shook his head, "Everyone was too much in awe of that legend to actually question me. Well, everyone aside from a few notable _exceptions_."

The father and son shared an amused glance.

"But let me tell you, it was no easy task to bring Konoha back to some semblance of order. The thing is I faced a similar dilemma, though on a smaller scale. I had to decide who deserved more attention, who deserved financial aid, who needed the already overworked Genin more? Small things in the scheme of things but it had great impact on individuals. Great many people lost their livelihoods because of my strict rules regarding trade. Great many civilians were adversely affected; some even died because I asked the medical staff to give priority to the ninja who were gravely injured." Minato sighed, "Many were forced to live in shaky temporary homes because I couldn't authorize enough funds to start rebuilding low priority buildings."

Naruaki nodded, "Do what's best for Konoha."

Minato tilted his head to the side, "Not exactly. It's to go in the direction where the possibility of loss and the consequences of your actions are at a minimum." He leaned back and gazed at the ceiling absentmindedly, "If I didn't regulate trade strictly, what would have happened?"

The younger Namikaze frowned, "The import of nonessential items would continue. The traders would require protection for themselves and their goods and we wouldn't have been able to spare ninja that easily."

Yondaime nodded, "And why do you think that I ordered the medical staff to give ninja priority?"

This time, Naruaki's answer was swift and decisive, "Ninja are needed to protect Konoha in the unstable post-war environment. The security at that time had to be tight and vigilant. Unfortunately, the civilians weren't really as important at ninja in such times."

"Exactly my point. Now, in the long run, those actions were actually detrimental to Konoha. We lost a few important civilian clans to other villages then. However, at that point in time, that was the best decision I could've made." Yondaime confessed, "Pick what you think is more important, Naruaki. Don't try to solve everything." He met his son's gaze, "You said that it was because of the Suna-Oto invasion that we gained very good allies in Suna and your friend Gaara was set on the right path. You need to think on all the elements involved. Orochimaru, Sandaime's death, Kazekage's death, the invasion of Konoha, the many lives that were lost…"

Naruaki cringed and sighed, "I understand."

Yondaime smiled sadly, "No need to be so disheartened, Naruaki. I understand that you want to help your friend and I highly recommend that you do so. Is there anything stopping you from trying to help Gaara without the whole Suna-Oto invasion mess involved? What's stopping you from befriending Tsunade and try to help her with her heamophobia now? You have known them intimately in the future; use that knowledge to help you reach out to them now." He ruffled Naruaki's hair with a grin, "I'm not saying that it will be easy but I don't think that has ever stopped you before."

Naruaki returned his father's grin, "No… no it hasn't."

Yondaime stood and smiled, "Then there you go. You don't need to repeat what happened in exactly the same manner. Who knows? You might find a better way to solve those problems that you see." He tapped Naruaki's forehead, "Look underneath the underneath."

The ANBU scoffed, "So that's where he got it from. Kakashi's really a first-class copy-cat."

Yondaime laughed.

Naruaki seemed visibly relieved but he had unknowingly burdened Minato with his thoughts. As the ANBU left the room, the Hokage leaned back and heaved a heavy sigh.

Blue eyes flickered to glance at a large photograph on the wall in front of him and a grim smile crossed the Kage's lips. "Was that good enough fatherly advice, Kushina?" he asked softly, "Good enough, I think, for someone as unpracticed as me."

The photograph, of course, didn't reply and Minato closed his eyes.

He didn't know if he should be proud or upset with how he was dealing with Kushina's death. There was a time, when he was forced to send her on missions, that he used to dread the thought of her getting injured.

The mere _possibility _of her demise was enough to give him nightmares.

When that _possibility _became a _reality _though, his reaction hadn't been anything like what he had expected.

He had expected to break. He had expected her death to render him helpless and unable to move on.

That hadn't happened.

Their profession was such that he had thought of the possibility of losing her on field many times. Each scenario has been more grisly than the last. Just imagining her loss was enough to make him nauseous.

That hadn't happened.

It didn't even take a week for his tears to dry. Within a month, he stopped cringing at the thought of her. He thought of her every day but it never hurt. He had expected to drown in his sadness but a mere glance at her photograph was enough to bring a smile to his face even on the most trying days.

Sometimes he dreamed of her, dreams so vivid and detailed that he was fooled. He expected to wake up with her by his side.

When he found his bed empty, there was no disappointment, only a feeling of being blessed to have met her in his dreams. She was never far from his thoughts, it was almost as if she has never died, only became invisible to his senses.

He didn't think of what-ifs and whys. He didn't feel regrets. She died saving their baby, after all. She sacrificed her life for the son that had granted them the privilege of being called parents.

There were no regrets. Every time he held Naruto in his arms and peered into the bright and curious eyes, every time he caught glimpses of Kushina in Naruaki, he felt her presence. She was still there, giving him strength and support even though he couldn't see her or talk to her. She was there in his sons. In their legacy.

He wondered, sometimes, if there was something wrong with him. He had seen so many people just break and drown themselves in sake to overcome their loss. He had seen the hate, the resentment turn the best of men into monsters.

Yet, he had so calmly accepted Kushina's death.

Was that natural? Did he love her less? Why couldn't he grieve like a normal husband? She had been the center of his life ever since he recognized what he felt for her, even before that.

Why didn't her loss leave behind a gaping hole that just couldn't be filled?

Sometimes, he felt guilty, thinking that he didn't love her enough because her death hadn't rendered him broken with grief.

Yet, there were days when the thought of her still brought forth that all-encompassing feeling of love and affection.

Kushina was incapable of giving him sorrow, in life _and _in death. He only felt blessed. Blessed for having known her, loved her; blessed for being given the opportunity to be her husband and lover.

Did that make his love for her less potent?

He didn't know and that bothered him more than he'd like to admit.

With a sigh, he stood from his seat, deciding to retire for the day. However, before he could even take a step towards his room, a loud, demanding cry echoed throughout the house. He started, looking up at the ceiling and rushed up the stairs when he heard a loud thump and some curses.

He burst into the nursery that held his infant son and stopped short, his eyes wide and breathing erratic.

After a few moments of awkwardness, Minato broke. His loud, ebullient laughter filled the room and stopped Naruto's cries.

Naruaki, his prim and proper son, had never seemed so disheveled. His long hair was a riotous mess, his pajama bottoms were barely hanging onto his lean frame and his expression was that of complete bafflement.

"Father!" the ANBU snapped sharply, a blush warming his cheeks. "It isn't funny! I thought he was being attacked!"

Minato chuckled and gently took Naruto from his elder brother's arms. "He does possess a powerful set of lungs, doesn't he?" He mused as he swayed lightly, rubbing Naruto's back to calm the child. "_You_ were the one who insisted that you needed to stay as close to Naruto as possible."

Naruaki sighed and rubbed his tired eyes, his posture slack and lacking energy. "I didn't anticipate this." He grumbled, leaning against the wall with a sigh.

The Yondaime observed the ANBU keenly, "Two back to back A-class missions can't have been easy for you, regardless of your skills. Should I assign the B-class tomorrow to someone else? It's a simple enough thing but the long travel won't do you any favors."

The younger Namikaze closed his eyes, "Just because I'm the Hokage's son shouldn't mean that I get concessions when it comes to missions."

Minato arched a brow, "I allow such concessions to almost everyone who deserves it, Naruaki. After two back to back, _successful _missions, I can easily give you a week off."

Naruaki shook his head, "You don't need to convince me, I'll take you up on your offer. I have to work on the seals to upgrade the current system in Konoha."

A dry look settled on the Hokage's face, "I meant for you to rest, not work on something else."

The younger shinobi only shrugged, his curious gaze landing on Naruto. He reached forward and gently caressed the baby's head, his callused fingers marveling the incredibly soft skin. "What woke him suddenly?"

"He has been experiencing stomachache on and off." The Yondaime informed, "We just started him on solid food remember? He's still getting used to it."

"Oh." Naruaki murmured, clueless when it came to babies. "Is that why he has been crying so much lately?"

"Well yes. Fortunately, he isn't colicky."

"Coli… what?" the ANBU asked in confusion. "Sounds serious… are you sure?"

Yondaime chuckled, "It isn't serious and no, he doesn't have that problem. Just stomachache which will go away after he gets used to solids." He patted Naruaki's shoulder at the boy's concerned look in Naruto's direction. "How cute. You're all brotherly and concerned over him."

Naruaki winced slightly, knowing that Minato would take advantage of that and tease him relentlessly. With a sigh, the ANBU walked forward and pressed a light kiss on Naruto's brow before walking out of the room.

The Hokage looked down at the baby in his arms and smiled. It amazed him that Naruaki had adapted so quickly to the strangeness of time-travel. He loved baby Naru despite the fact that he had been Naruto in the past. Minato was certain that the situation had the potential to unnerve the best of men but Naruaki dealt with it beautifully.

It was a big adjustment, Minato realized. All of Naruaki's past friends and comrades… even girlfriends (if he had any) must be just kids now. Even his Jounin sensei was a brat of fifteen. For the boy to be so unfazed by the change was astounding.

The Hokage frowned…

It was also a bit worrisome.

"One day, I'm going to force him to confide in me." He said to himself, "One day, he's going to tell me _everything._"

* * *

There was nothing more frightening than an enemy _procreating._

There was always a chance that legendry fathers would sire children that were equally strong. There was potential in every child and if the parent knew how to utilize it, the child would grow to surpass its sire.

Konoha was infamous for its prodigies. Being the first of the ninja villages, it got the cream of the crop, so to speak, when it came to ninja clans. The Hyuga, the Uchiha, the Inuzuka, the Nara, the Yamanaka, the Kurama and so on…

Those clans possessed dangerous abilities and the tendency to produce rather skilled ninja.

Even the ninja from civilian clans in Konoha sometimes turned out to be formidable. Jiraiya and Orochimaru came to mind. Both of them were born of civilian families and without any special bloodline techniques.

Yet, their strength and skill was extraordinary. They, along with their teammate, possessed the three most dangerous and useful summon contracts in the world.

But, none of that bothered him, the Tsuchikage, as much as _Namikaze Minato._

The fact that Namikaze Minato had _reproduced _was alarming. He knew that it was unlikely that the Yondaime's son would turn out to be just as prodigious as he was, but the boy would definitely inherit his father's jutsu library.

Those jutsu were dangerous. Even in the hands of a novice.

Just as he was struggling to cope with that fact, another bit of information was handed to him.

The Yondaime Hokage not only had a child, but he also had a brother. According to his sources, the new Namikaze brat surpassed his older brother in FuuinJutsu. He was also credited with the sealing of Kyuubi.

Onoki was powerful, skilled and fearless in his own right. He had survived wars. He had maintained his position as the Tsuchikage even after Iwa had suffered a humiliating defeat against Konoha. Being as old as he was, few things could unnerve him. However, the fact that Konoha got a ready-made FuuinJutsu master that surpassed that Namikaze bastard was enough to give him nightmares.

The old man rubbed his wrinkled forehead and glanced up at his spymaster, "This information is confirmed fact? If he had a brother, where has he been hiding?"

The Spymaster shrugged his shoulders, "We've no information on that, Tsuchikage-sama. We can only confirm that the boy is truly Yondaime Hokage's brother. He's sixteen years old and goes by the name of Namikaze Naruaki. His history is completely unknown. My subordinates speculate that the brother might have been part of Konoha's Covert ANBU Corps. Therefore, his existence was completely erased from their files."

Beside the Spymaster was a well-known figure leaning against the wall with casual elegance. Tsuchiura Akihiko was probably Iwa's best Jounin. Young, brilliant and powerful, many considered him to be a worthy successor to the Tsuchikage seat.

"If the boy is as brilliant as Minato, then we're in for some trouble." Akihiko said with practiced nonchalance.

The Spymaster groaned and the Tsuchikage glared.

Did he mention that Tsuchiura Akihiko happened to be the Yondaime Hokage's cousin? No matter what happened between the two villages, the boys' relationship endured, showing remarkable resilience.

It wasn't that Akihiko was any less loyal to Iwa, but it still irked Onoki because he couldn't completely bring himself to trust one of his strongest Jounin.

Sometimes, the Tsuchikage marveled at their ability to put politics aside and concentrate only on the blood relationship between them. Onoki was certain that Akihiko and Yondaime never discussed politics when they met. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if Akihiko asked for a leave to go welcome Yondaime's little brat to the family as well as greet his newly revealed cousin.

He scowled at Tsuchiura, disapproval lining his aged features. "Do you have anything important to contribute or you're going to stand there looking completely useless?"

The young blond man sighed, "Tsuchikage-sama," he began, "If I knew anything, you'd have been the first to know. Minato never trusts me with sensitive information because he knows that I'm loyal to my village. Likewise, I never let our secrets reach his ears if I can help it."

The Kage snorted, "That doesn't help me here, does it? How can we gather any sort of useful information on this new Namikaze?"

Tsuchiura shrugged, "Minato never mentioned a younger brother before, not even when he was a kid. But then again, his mother did leave Konoha during the war. It is entirely possible that this Namikaze was born after she left."

The Spymaster narrowed his eyes and nodded in confirmation, "Yondaime's mother did return to Iwa before but wasn't granted entry."

Onoki's eyes narrowed, a shrewd gleam entering his aged eyes. "And how old is this new Namikaze said to be?"

"16." The spymaster replied promptly.

"And are there any records that he was trained in Konoha?" The Tsuchikage asked.

Tsuchiura groaned in dismay as his Kage and his spymaster shared speculative glances, "You think you can lay claim to the brat? The Hokage's own brother?"

The Tsuchikage narrowed his eyes, "Your grandfather is still alive. He can still claim his grandson, especially if this brat was born outside Konoha after Namikaze Hiroto and Tsuchiura Akaho parted ways. If there's no record that he was ever a Konoha genin and passed through the academy, he's, in accordance to the laws, a civilian. Being sixteen, he is under-aged."

"As a civilian." Akihiko pointed out. "That loophole isn't that easy to exploit, Tsuchikage-sama. Minato may have already tested and inducted him into the ranks. If he's an ANBU, he'd be untouchable. Besides, even if we could prove on paper that this boy is a civilian, Minato's has closer blood ties. Trying to contest that would be foolishness."

Tsuchikage growled in frustration, "Then what do you suggest we do boy? Let them be? A seal-master of such caliber that even your cousin admits being inferior to?"

"What _can _we do but that?" Tsuchiura asked softly, "If we do anything, we risk provoking Minato and I wouldn't recommend that." He narrowed his eyes, "It's too risky to attempt this without the confirmation that this new Namikaze will willingly join our village. If he's new to Konoha, surely he can't have formed ties so soon?"

The Spymaster raised a brow, "You wish to see if you can convince Namikaze Naruaki to join Iwa on his own will."

Tsuchiura frowned, "You think that you can force someone who defeated the Kyuubi no Kitsune to do _anything_ against his will?"

The Kage and the Spymaster winced in harmony.

"I'll be going to see Naruto-chan soon. I'll speak to this new Namikaze and feel him out. If there's potential there, I'll let you know." Tsuchiura said decisively.

The Kage nodded in agreement. He could see that wisdom in Akihiko's plans. There was no need to provoke Namikaze Minato thoughtlessly.

However, as soon as Akihiko walked out of the room, the Spymaster secured the office and summoned another one of his subordinates.

The Tsuchikage raised a brow, baffled by his subordinate's sudden actions.

The newcomer bowed to his superiors, his general quietness told the Kage that he was one of the Spymaster's best spies.

"We have received some news that requires your immediate attention." The Spymaster informed, "I had to wait until Tsuchiura-san was away to inform you."

The Kage nodded, gesturing him to continue speaking.

"This is the handler for our spy in Konoha." He introduced. "They are beefing up their security there and we need to extract our spy from their ranks immediately." He placed a scroll in front of the Kage. "He also gave us some alarming information." The Spymaster took a deep breath and nodded towards his subordinate.

"The identity of the Yondaime Hokage's wife was finally revealed to us. Her name was Uzumaki Kushina and she hailed from Whirlpool."

The Tsuchikage drew a sharp breath, "I see. So the child has the Uzumaki clan's special chakra?"

The spy shook his head, "There isn't any confirmation of it yet but it may be safe to assume that he does." He confessed, "The Hokage hasn't let the child be examined by normal healers nor is the boy's medical file stored amongst the general medical data files. Tsunade personally examined and administered all the necessary vaccinations to the boy."

Onoki sighed in frustration, "That tells us nothing! That Namikaze bastard is just being a prudent parent considering that the brat is the son of a Kage as well as an S-class shinobi and kunoichi." He looked at the spy with narrowed eyes, "What else do you have?"

"Orochimaru of Konoha was just officially declared a Missing-nin. They haven't been able to capture him. Something has prompted the Hokage to completely revamp the security of the village." The spy met the Tsuchikage's gaze, "The security revamp is focused inward, sir." He confessed, "He clearly suspects someone within Konoha of treachery. The entire security overhaul means that whoever this traitor is, he has done some significant damage. The Yondaime Hokage was very angry."

The Kage leaned forward in interest, "Can we exploit this to our benefit?"

The Spymaster nodded tentatively, "According to our reports, the Hokage and his brother are going to dedicate a few days to completely upgrade Konoha's security seals. That, along with a few other changes that the Hokage has implemented would make Konoha much more secure and impenetrable."

"What're you suggesting then?" the Kage asked impatiently, gesturing roughly with his hand, "Stop the dramatics and get to the point!"

The spy stepped forward reluctantly and took over for his superior. "While the seals are being upgraded, Konoha will be a little more vulnerable. With the Hokage and his brother distracted, we should be able to extract a very valuable asset from Konoha and cause enough chaos to destabilize it. _If _we play our cards right, that is."

The Tsuchikage narrowed his eyes, "What asset?"

The spy swallowed.

"Namikaze Naruto."

* * *

Danzo was a hardworking, hard-hitting politician. Ever since Sarutobi took up the mantle of being a Kage and appointed him as one of his advisors, Danzo had been working to entrench himself into the Konoha politics.

Slowly and steadily, with judicious use of cunning and pretty words, Danzo had warmed his way into many important circles. He paid attention and learned the tricks of the trade while Sarutobi set his sight outward, subtly manipulating other villages.

Sarutobi was a sly and cunning bastard but he possessed a moral streak a mile wide. He would never use those tactics against his own ninja. The Sandaime followed the footsteps of his ancestors, allowing Konoha's valuable tools, her shinobi, to become more humane, more emotional…

More _weak_.

There was a time when the mere mention of Konoha was enough to give their enemies a jolt of fear.

Now, they actually believed themselves to be Konoha's equal in strength and might.

Danzo couldn't bear it. Instead of gaining strength, Konoha was slowly beginning to lose it. The standards had fallen so much that the other villages were slowly gaining the confidence to attack Konoha.

They didn't want to live under the shadow of the Leaf anymore.

After silently observing the weakening of Konoha from the shadows for years, Danzo couldn't sit still any longer. He acted as Sarutobi continued to remain ignorant. He covertly built his forces, hiding them amongst the ANBU. He trained his ninja to be what they were meant to be.

Weapons.

He built an entire section of ANBU that was under his direct command. They had no other ties aside from an absolute loyalty and devotion to the safety of Konoha. They didn't have family. They didn't have wives, husbands, children, lovers, brothers, friends; they didn't even have parents.

He slowly built up their strength, making them the elite ninja of Konoha.

Danzo planned this for years, for decades, even. He used Sarutobi's blindness to the hilt, ensuring that the old Sandaime wasn't aware of his actions until it was too late. Until his seed had turned into a tree that had its roots too deep to be uprooted.

However, where Sarutobi had been blind, Namikaze was perceptive. He had seen the advantage in his organization and planned to use it. The Hokage wanted to reap the rewards of Danzo's hard work and all the while put restrictions on him.

This _child_ wanted to play an adult's game?

Let him.

Danzo didn't reach where he was by being merciful on his opponents. One show of bravado wasn't enough to convince him that Namikaze was actually ready to do what was needed. In fact, by reacting in such a swift, reckless and emotional manner to his wife's death was all that was needed to convince Danzo of his unsuitability.

His wife died in battle. She showed true grit by refusing to stay put while her fellow villagers sacrificed their lives. The irony was, she wasn't really a true born kunoichi of Konoha. The Hokage should've learned from that sacrifice and honored it. Instead, he lashed out childishly.

Namikaze needed to be put in his place and he knew just where to hit.

It was a small thing to plant the idea in the mind of a spy. It hadn't been easy to uncover the details of the security upgrade but he had managed it. He had dangled such bait that that old, frail bastard of a Tsuchikage wouldn't be able to ignore it.

Iwa held a grudge against Namikaze and he was all too willing to exploit it.

His plan was simple. He'd assist the Iwa shinobi to snatch the Namikaze brat from underneath the Hokage and his brother's nose. Once the Iwa shinobi were a safe distance away from Konoha's borders, he'd simply take the child away from them.

He'd raise Namikaze Minato's pride and joy to be the ultimate emotionless tool while the fool bumbled about trying to find his son in the political mess that would follow.

If he was careful, he'd hit two birds with one stone. It would take some cunning, but he could shift the blame onto the Hokage's brother. Convincing the others that Namikaze Naruaki was a spy for Iwa wouldn't be too difficult. The brothers couldn't have possibly developed a close relationship already. It would be so easy to create distrust between them.

Maybe after being subjected to his brother's rejection and suspicion, the younger Namikaze would agree to join his organization.

Danzo didn't believe in wasting talent after all. And that would be the final nail of Yondaime's coffin.

* * *

There was a great difference between a Master and a gifted but distracted student. Minato's great success with the Uzumaki clan FuuinJutsu had certainly given him the illusion that he was something of an expert in the art. Even Jiraiya had admitted that his knowledge was second only to the Sage Sennin himself.

However, Naruaki made them both feel like they were rank amateurs. He was a true Uzumaki when it came down to FuuinJutsu.

As they gazed at the complex blueprint describing the security seals on Konoha's borders, they thanked every god that they could think of for Naruaki's presence.

"My God." Minato whispered, awed and overwhelmed, "Sensei, can you even understand a portion of this?" He questioned softly.

Naruaki chuckled while the older two shinobi exchanged baffled glances, "I thought that as a Hokage, you'd be intimately acquainted with these seals."

"Yes." Minato replied, leaning over his son's shoulder to look at the intricate designs. "I know what they do but I had no idea that something like _this_ was behind those tiny seals I see on the walls of Konoha."

"Ah." Naruaki said, nodding his head, "The greatest advantage of FuuinJutsu is you can't look at the final product and tell what exactly led to that conclusion." He directed a little grin in his father's direction. "The most advanced forms of FuuinJutsu call for the biggest sealing systems to be condensed down to a small seal almost the size of a thumb-print."

"So Uzumaki Mito-sama really knew what she was doing. And Kushina was so fond of her too. She must have learned everything she could from Mito-sama." Yondaime said with a small, sad smile. "You're turning out more and more like your mother, Naruaki."

Naruaki snorted, "You should've seen me when I was kid. I was a carbon copy of you in looks but I had mom's personality. I used to terrorize the village with pranks. Tsunade once commented that I got my personality as well as jutsu-style from her." He tilted his head to the side in thought, "But, Kakashi always said that my skills with strategy and war-fare came from you." The ANBU turned his attention back towards the blueprints, "This is masterful work."

"Does it require any upgrade?" Jiraiya said, settling down beside Naruaki to observe the designs. "Can you do something better?"

"She didn't do this alone." Naruaki said with a frown, "She had many seal-masters at her disposal. See this?" He pointed at a large cluster of seals, "This is one of the most complex security seals that you'll ever encounter. It's supposed to stay dormant until absolutely necessary. They tried to awaken this in the future when Konoha was in a bucket-load of trouble from Akatsuki."

"But they failed?" Jiraiya asked, "Are you saying that this seal is useless?"

"No." the ANBU shook his head, "Quite the opposite, in fact. The problem is that it needs someone possessing Uzumaki clan DNA to activate it. Tsunade could activate it, had they known of it and I wasn't in the village at the time. I came too late."

"Wait… Tsunade?" Jiraiya asked.

"She is Uzumaki Mito's granddaughter. I think it would've have been a close enough familial match to activate the seal."

"But Tsunade has no skill with seals!" The Sennin protested.

Minato raised a brow, "Aside from the one on her forehead, you mean? Are you really that ignorant, sensei?"

Naruaki smirked, "Most of Tsunade's advanced medical jutsu involve some rather complex and intricate seals." He rolled his eyes when Jiraiya sputtered, "Regardless, I think we should change that particular aspect of the seal. Unfortunately, the DNA element can't be changed but we can add a few options." He glanced at Jiraiya before turning his gaze towards his father, "I think we also need to start thinking of rebuilding the Uzumaki clan."

Both Jiraiya and Minato started at that. "Uzumaki clan?" the Hokage asked, "It never really occurred to me."

Naruaki shook his head, "We should start thinking about it. It's not only about the Uzumaki vitality and chakra but also about Rinnegan." He looked pointedly at Jiraiya, "Nagato is of the Uzumaki clan, you realize."

The Sage looked astonished, "I wasn't aware of that… There was a similarity in looks between Kushina and Nagato but it never occurred to me."

The ANBU nodded, "At the moment, Naruto and I are the only ones possessing strong Uzumaki clan DNA. Nagato hates Konoha so he wouldn't even consider joining us. Tsunade wouldn't consent to participate in the reconstruction of the clan."

"No." Minato shook his head, "But you do have a point." He looked at his son with narrowed eyes, "Are there any seals that can be only performed by those of Uzumaki blood?"

"There are some." Naruaki admitted reluctantly. "Nothing particularly useful and most of that involves Uzumaki chakra. I just don't think that we should let such a legacy slip away. You realize that we're losing both Senju and Uzumaki clans? The descendents of the second son of Rikudo Sennin are almost all dead while the descendents of the first son are still thriving. I don't want to appear biased but that doesn't sit well with me."

Both Minato and Jiraiya seemed surprised by the information. "You know, this never occurred to me." The Kage confessed. "Wow. You're right. We should do something."

Naruaki unfurled a fresh scroll as his father and the Gama Sennin pondered over the piece of information that he had just delivered. Soon the teacher-student pair was involved in a deep discussion while he vigilantly worked on the seals.

Ideas swirled around in his head as he glanced at the designs of the existing seals. There were things he could alter but most of the work would involve renewing the seals. There were a few seals that he wanted to add to the system but he wanted to take care that he didn't overdo it.

It was best to have a lean and clean sealing system instead to too many powerful seals to protect their borders.

However, as he was reaching out for a new scroll, something caught his eye.

Carefully, his eyes traced a rather insignificant seal. Its sole purpose was to preserve the wood of Konoha's fences and large gates.

However, there was something special about that seal. It was extremely sensitive and malleable. Any seal that was connected to it would connect to the hypersensitive living woods that bordered Konoha village.

Naruaki smirked. '_Maybe Mito-sama knew of this seal's unique nature. Maybe that's why she called it Kami no Te. It's just as inconspicuous and delicately powerful as the Hand of God._'

Whatever be the case, Naruaki was determined to make full use of the seal's characteristics. With several ideas flowing through his mind, he grabbed onto a blank scroll and starting creating an outline of his ideas.

The beautifully formed script drew the attention of both his companions. They sat down beside him; Yondaime observing Naruaki's gracefully formed seals with paternal pride while Jiraiya studied them with increasing awe.

"Seriously kid, you underestimate yourself when you say that you were the second best." The Gama-Sennin admitted with a slight whistle, "You really have Mito-sama's blood in you. I remember her, you know. She taught me a little about sealing when I was a mere genin. I can almost picture her in your place; you have the same _presence_ about you as she did."

Yondaime raised a brow, "Really?" Turning his head, he observed his son more closely. Having not been in Mito-sama's presence at her prime, he really didn't know what Jiraiya meant.

Naruaki, with his long hair, confident stature and sharply intelligent blue eyes was indeed a striking figure. Mito-sama had been similarly striking but Minato finally realized what Jiraiya meant.

It wasn't the looks because they couldn't be more different. Naruaki's face was sharply masculine while Mito-sama had been a delicately featured woman. The shape of their eyes weren't similar either nor their coloring.

Their carriage was strikingly similar, though. They both had an aura of stern resolve about them. The way they held their chin just a touch higher, lent them an air of remoteness. It was as though they had learned to keep people at a distance.

"Mito-sama and I are connected." Naruaki whispered, "We were the Jinchuriki of Kyuubi no Kitsune and that connected is unlike any other." He declared solemnly, "Kyuubi is like this dark inheritance that we passed down from one generation to another. I just hope that Naruto is able to do what I was incapable of."

"And what is that?" Jiraiya asked. Minato turned his head away; the hidden pain in Naruaki's voice caused a now familiar stab of guilt in him.

"To end the cycle." Naruaki whispered.

Minato looked at his son, "To kill the Kyuubi?"

The ANBU sighed, "To cure its hatred." He confessed before shaking his head. "But that's something that we don't need to think about now."

Jiraiya suddenly groaned causing the other two to look at him questioningly. The Gama-Sennin pointed accusingly at Naruaki, "You're one of _those_ people, aren't you?" he asked petulantly, "Those who are so goody-goody that they'll try to save and change every scum and send them on the path of redemption."

Naruaki chuckled when his father directed a frown of disapproval at Jiraiya, "There's nothing wrong with that!"

The Sennin shook his head, "Another thing you seem to have inherited from your father kid. I really wish I could see some of Kushina's rationality in there."

Before either Yondaime or Naruaki could say anything, there was a frantic knock on the door.

Naruaki was quick to conceal all their work, silently sealing them into a scroll while Jiraiya opened the door.

A frantic chunin swept into the office in panic, garnering identical scowls from Minato and Naruaki. Really, as an experienced ninja, he should've conducted himself better; even if there was something wrong.

"Sir, the Uchiha matriarch was attacked."

Naruaki shot off his seat the moment those words left the man's mouth. Minato leaned forward, looking at the chunin urgently. "Uchiha Mikoto? Is she all right? What happened?"

"She's in the hospital-"

Naruaki didn't wait for the man to complete his sentence, swiftly heading towards the door.

"Naruaki, wha-" Minato rose from his chair, watching his son leave and quickly following the boy out of his office.

"Naruto was with Mikoto-san." Naruaki replied curtly and Yondaime's eyes widened.

The Hokage reacted swiftly and grabbed Naruaki's arm, vanishing in a flash of bright yellow light.

They landed in front of the receptionist, Naruaki stumbling only slightly at the unexpected movement. The woman at the desk didn't even ask what they wanted.

"Room no: 107."

Naruaki didn't bother to acknowledge her as he swept past but Minato nodded and thanked her before following. Her calm and reassuring smile told him that whatever happened, no one had gone missing or died.

As Naruaki reached the room, the cries of two, very uncomfortable infants reached his ears and he sighed. He slid open the door and took the entire scene in a sharp, assessing glance.

Fugaku was by the window, conversing tersely with some of his clan members. The Uchiha clan head was visibly stressed, casting a worried glance at the patients from time to time.

Mikoto was unconscious in the bed and frankly, she didn't look well. She was pale, the harsh cuts and burns standing out against her skin. The healers had just finished bandaging her thigh and her stomach.

Naruaki was very concerned for her considering that both the wounds seemed dangerous. However, his eyes soon landed on the kids.

Itachi, the poor boy, was fruitlessly trying to calm his brother as well as Naruto. Sasuke had a few scratches on his shoulders and arms. He could see the beginnings of bruises on the little baby's chest and legs.

It was almost as if someone had played a harsh game of tug-of-war using the poor child.

Itachi seemed unsettled. He had a busted lip and he seemed to be holding his arm gingerly. His right cheek showed some sign of swelling as well. Naruaki's jaw clenched at the sight. Itachi was his apprentice after all, and partly his responsibility.

However, his mind went completely blank when he laid his eyes on Naruto.

It was hardly a second before he was by the crib, lifting the little blond bundle up in his arms.

Naruaki had gone white with fury by then. Naruto's neck was wrapped in a thick bandage; there was a small cut on the child's brow and a few on his delicate little hands. The sight of blood on the baby was enough for Naruaki to lose his calm completely.

"Naruaki?" Minato questioned softly, a frown of distress marring the Hokage's face as he looked at his youngest.

Naruto had calmed down significantly after being in his older brother's familiar arms. Still, his scratchy, pained cries caused the older Namikaze men to cringe in helplessness.

"What exactly happened here!" the livid Hokage demanded.

The little Namikaze heir flinched at the loud noise, his lips trembling in pain. Naruaki embraced the baby, gently shushing him and making comforting noises in the child's ear.

However, the Hokage's anger was unsettling all the kids, including Itachi. After gaining permission from the healer, he quietly asked one of the Uchiha clansmen to carry Sasuke and escorted the kids out of the tense room.

The ANBU paced at corridor, taking care not to jostle the baby in his arms while Itachi sat on one of the chairs. The young Uchiha's anxious glances kept dancing between Sasuke and Naruto guiltily but Naruaki didn't question it.

Sighing, he kissed Naruto's forehead when the child finally stopped crying and settled for small, painful sounding hiccups. It helped that Sasuke was finally asleep because more than anything, the little Uchiha's cries spurred Naruto on to be equally loud.

The storm cloud that was his father's aura seemed to have abated a bit. Naruaki sat down heavily, his heart still in his throat.

Naruto was entertaining himself by playing with the ANBU's long hair. The wounds were already old-news for the infant now that he was in the security of Naruaki's arms. Moreover, the mix of Kyuubi's chakra and the Uzumaki clan's natural vitality would've healed the child somewhat.

Still, Naruaki couldn't tear his eyes away from the Naruto. Seeing Naruto hurt had stilled his heart, making his blood grow cold with fear. He was such a tiny, delicate little being that even the smallest of wounds could do some serious harm.

He wondered absently if it was some bizarre sort of vanity to love _this_ child so much. It had been so easy to separate the infant from himself and give the child his own identity. He had truly come to view Naruto as his little brother. He had embraced every protective instinct, every feeling of love and affection that had come with that role.

Minato finally left the room and sank down on the chair beside him. "How is he?"

Naruaki turned to his father and nodded, "Kushina-san's blood is potent in him." He whispered, keenly aware of the presence of Itachi by his side. "The smaller wounds are almost healed. I don't know about the one of his neck."

Minato's expression tightened. The neck wound was a clear indicator that there _had_ been an attempt on Naruto's life. None of the others had suffered wounds that showed a conscious attempt to kill. A ninja would naturally go for the most vulnerable parts when he wished to kill and the throat was always the first target of assassins.

He paused when he felt his eldest start in surprise. He turned and stifled a smile. Itachi, the poor lad, had finally succumbed to his exhaustion. The kid was now leaning against his mentor, soundly asleep.

"He looks done in." Minato commented, taking Naruto from his brother.

Naruaki murmured in agreement and shifted a little, letting Itachi sleep on his lap. He could still hear the loud argument amongst the Uchiha clansmen going on in the room. "He's still leagues away from being the great man he's destined to be." He admitted, brushing a strand of jet-black hair away from Itachi's face to look at the bruised, swollen cheek. "But he'll get there."

Minato smiled, "With you as his mentor, I doubt he'll be anything but great."

Naruaki chuckled, "You're biased." And it felt inordinately good to say that. Parental bias was a wonderful thing. Naruaki had never experienced it before but now he got a nearly daily dose of it. Minato's absolute faith his abilities as a ninja and his qualities as a man, was astounding. No one had ever given him such unwavering support, not even Iruka, Tsunade and Jiraiya.

People, even his closest friends and loved ones, were all too quick question his competence and sometimes, too slow to believe in his skills.

"We've a problem, Naruaki." Minato confessed quietly after a while, pulling the boy out of his pleasant thoughts. "This situation has the potential to destabilize our new plans."

Naruaki sighed, "An attack on the Uchiha matriarch, the heirs and the Hokage's son..." he shook his head, "And they almost succeeded with Naru-chan too."

Minato flinched, burying his nose into his little son's soft hair. "I'll kill them." He said, simple and blunt.

"Oh, that is _after_ I use my interrogation skills on them." Naruaki said with a rather charming smile. He looked at his father, "Did you find out what exactly happened?"

Minato nodded, glancing at the sleeping Uchiha heir. "Itachi-kun told Fugaku. Surprisingly, the original target wasn't Naruto."

Naruaki arched a brow before a faint suspicion caused him to turn his eyes towards the sleeping Sasuke.

"Yes." The Hokage answered his son's silent question. "They were looking to kidnap Sasuke. They mistook the baby in Mikoto's arms to be him instead of Naruto. One of the assailants realized that they had done a mistake and held a sword to Naru's throat and demanded that Mikoto handover Sasuke."

Naruaki closed his eyes.

"Naruto may have been the Hokage's son but she would've never made that choice." Yondaime whispered. "I really don't want to blame her."

"We can't- we _won't_ blame her if she chose Sasuke. She's a mother first and foremost." Naruaki said firmly.

Yondaime nodded, "The assailant further taunted her. He said that no matter what, Sasuke would survive the ordeal. He just wouldn't belong to Konoha. But if she didn't handover Sasuke, at least Naruto's death was guaranteed."

Naruaki's expression tightened. "He was ready to behead a child - a _baby, _in front of a young mother?"

The Hokage scowled, "Itachi said that his mother begged and pleaded. When that bastard actually started to draw Naruto's blood, she looked like she was torn between throwing Sasuke into their arms and looking away, letting them ki" he shook his head, "hurt Naruto."

Minato rubbed his eyes in tiredness. It wasn't even noon and he already wished for the day to end. "Itachi saw some sort of opening. He stabbed the man in the groin with his academy kunai, knowing that it was the only away the man would be too distracted to hold onto Naruto." He looked at the young Uchiha heir with a small, impressed smile. "He's a brave little brat."

Naruaki smirked faintly, "Maybe I'll start teaching him something other than calligraphy as a reward."

The Yondaime nodded in agreement before continuing, "The problem is, the academy kunai are blunt and while that man suffered a great deal of pain, he wasn't entirely incapacitated. He punched Itachi and tried to recapture Naruto but the boy gave him a slip. Mikoto-san realized that the best chance to keep the boys safe was to separate them. She asked Itachi to run with Naruto."

Naruaki frowned, "Did they choose not to follow Itachi?"

The Hokage sighed, "One of them did, thinking that having Itachi _and_ Naruto as an hostage would be an added advantage. Thankfully, they really didn't know _who_ Naruto was." He stood when Naruto started to yawn, knowing his son's habits well enough to realize that the child needed just a little care and he'd be asleep. Smiling a little, he paced the corridor, rocking the baby in his arms gently. "Itachi and Naruto were very lucky. Kakashi and Gai were close by. Those two managed to apprehend one of the culprits but the other escaped. Mikoto managed to injure that man enough for him to abandon the mission."

The ANBU closed his eyes, "Kakashi and Gai are personally keeping watch on that scum, aren't they?"

"Yes." Minato chuckled, "Kakashi took your suspicions very seriously. He took the assailant directly to our estate. Since he's keyed into the warding seals on our property, he simply used the safe room to lock that bastard in. He can't escape and no one from outside, excluding us, can get in."

"That man could kill himself, you know." Naruaki pointed out.

Minato shook his head, "The safe room neutralizes chakra. No seal, no jutsu, nothing would work. As an added measure, Kakashi's going to keep the man unconscious until we have time to look into it. If this is Danzo's plan…" He trailed off, frowning in thought.

"I'm leaning more towards Orochimaru in this case." He murmured, "He has always coveted the Sharingan."

"Then why not go after Itachi?" Minato asked, "Why Sasuke?"

Naruaki shrugged, "I don't know what goes on in his mind." He confessed, "But, it would be easier for him to raise Sasuke to be his vessel, molding him to be a perfect servant. Itachi's older and far more resilient than most children are at his age." Shaking his head, "But it's useless to speculate now. We don't know for sure who's behind this." He frowned suddenly. "The timing's a little odd, don't you think? A kidnapping attempt in broad daylight?"

Minato raised a brow, "The timing is perfect actually." He said with a slight scowl, "Our nighttime patrols are very vigilant. During morning, most ninja are either training or collecting their missions. The village is busy and active and ANBU usually use this time to do their reports. No one thinks that there'd be a security breach in the morning, Naruaki."

"It's possible that it could be an inside job." Minato commented after a pause, "Fugaku's sudden rise to power did rattle some people."

The ANBU shrugged before carefully shifting Itachi into his arms and rising to his feet. "Whatever it is, I'll drag it out of that man's mouth if it's the last thing I do." He whispered as he stepped into the tense hospital room.

Fugaku and the rest turned towards him, their expressions angry as well as distressed. Despite the fact that their own were hurt, Naruto's wellbeing had been their responsibility. All of them were worried about the consequences of the breach in security.

Naruaki kept his silence as he laid his apprentice down on a spare bed, carefully tucking the boy into the sheets.

"As of now, we can do nothing but be vigilant." Minato said softly as he followed Naruaki into the room. "Naruaki will handle the interrogation. I'll have Sousuke look into the security issue." He met Fugaku's eyes, "We'll post a few ANBU guards here to protect Mikoto-san but I feel it's best to take Sasuke _and_ Itachi and keep them in the Uchiha compound for now. Naruaki and I will come by later and set up a few seals on the compound to increase security."

Naruaki straightened and looked at the Uchiha clan head, "With your permission, I'd like to place a tracker seal on Itachi and Sasuke, Uchiha-san." He said, "I'll be doing the same with Naruto as soon as possible. It's a temporary measure for now but until we're certain that the kids are safe, its best to be cautious."

Fugaku nodded, "Of course, Naruaki-san. Whatever you feel is best for the children."

Naruaki met Minato's worried gaze and nodded, disappearing from sight soundlessly.

He had a prisoner to interrogate after all.


	8. Chapter 8

Title: Guardian of Fire.

Author: Agni

Warnings: AU, Time travel, a bit of OOC.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

AN: I'm not making any promises. Life has completely taken over. It's only last week when I came back to reading Naruto manga. I had finished a portion of this chapter many months ago but couldn't really find time to continue. As of now, I don't even have Sundays to do what I like. I can't promise you guys regular updates for any of my stories. I'm sorry for that.

As for this chapter, it might be a little boring. There's very little action. Some of the technicalities of this chapter might differ very much from the manga, especially about Fuuin jutsu and chakra. Please excuse that. All this is part of the plot.

I have three questions for you now.

How many Sasuke fangirls screamed when he changed sides again? (Honestly, I hate the guy with a vehemence that surprises me, but still, I'm curious.)

How many of you think Hashirama is _very_ similar to Naruto?

And how many of you would kill be if I killed Naruaki in GOF? (Not now, later, _much_ later in the plot.)

* * *

_Eight_

* * *

Naruaki was an odd ninja. His childhood had hardly been pleasant. He had been subjected to the harsh realities of human nature all his life. No one could account for Naruaki's rather naïve and idealistic outlook in life.

Even Sakura, a civilian-born girl, seemed better prepared for life as a ninja than Naruaki was.

Yet, he defied all explanation. Despite his rank as a Genin, he was a highly successful shinobi, defeating opponents who were more powerful and better skilled than he was. Despite his lack of common manners and sense, his words had the power to sway the most stubborn hearts.

He had been a dead-last, an unskilled ruffian in the academy and yet he was the only one who managed to defeat Pein.

His greatest triumph, perhaps, was the fact that he turned some of his most powerful enemies into allies.

Naruaki was perhaps the only ninja who had reached his level of success without leaving a trail of bodies behind. He was perhaps the only ninja who could offer friendship to a former enemy while expecting nothing but simple friendship in return.

Of course, that was until Danzo got his hands on him. The warmonger, in his quest to turn Naruaki into the perfect ninja, destroyed everything that made Naruaki unique and powerful. He had turned a man full of humanity and kindness into a cold, professional murderer.

And Naruaki had let him.

Danzo had garnered great amusement dangling the lives of his precious people in front of him like a carrot on stick. Naruaki had to do everything that Danzo said, suffer through all his training, kill all his opponents, intimidate shinobi of other villages as well as he own into submission, just so that Tsunade and the others could live another day.

The old warmonger was smart… sometimes too smart. He knew that Tsunade was the biggest threat to his reign as the Hokage, not because _she_ was loved and respected, but because she had been the key to controlling _Naruaki_. Tsunade herself hadn't been a very popular Hokage amongst civilians, her regular drinking and gambling sprees, her previous abandonment of Konoha had lowered her esteem in many eyes.

Naruaki however, was the golden boy. The darling of Konoha. His service towards his village had finally earned him the acknowledgment and respect that he'd always craved.

Tsunade had been the closest thing to a mother for Naruaki. Danzo had kept her locked away and helpless, but he had kept her alive. Danzo had kept Sakura closely monitored only to show Naruaki that he controlled their lives.

Naruaki could do nothing but submit because their lives and the lives of his other loyal friends were in danger.

Danzo knew how to exploit his one great weakness and that had led to the destruction of all that Naruaki had been as a youth.

Sure, he had gained some incredible skills. He had also _finally_ surpassed his childhood rival, easing that lasting sting of inadequacy that Kakashi had unknowingly encouraged. As he had grown in strength, he had started losing his charm, his kindness, his silliness and childishness.

He had gone from being a good but eccentric and unique ninja to being a powerful, formidable but ultimately, a lifeless servant that obeyed the whims of his master.

However, that wasn't the complete story. Naruaki's spirit wasn't never so easily broken. Yes, Danzo had managed to irreparably _change_ him but he hadn't managed to break him. Before Naruaki became a ninja, before he was even a student in the academy, he was a _survivor. _His parents had sealed their essence into him along with Kyuubi. He had inherited their determination and their strength of will.

At the very core of his being, he was someone who _refused_ _to_ _submit._

There was arrogance in him that was carefully concealed underneath the layers of charm and stubbornness. There was a sheer belief in his own judgment, his own authority that didn't allow him to give his full obedience to _anybody_.

Not even to Sandaime, who had been his support through the nightmare that was his childhood. Not even Iruka, who was the first person to see past the Kyuubi and definitely not Kakashi who was too lazy to look after a troubled student.

Jiraiya had come close. _Very close._ Naruaki had respected his mentor more than he had respected anyone in his life. Only Jiraiya had believed in him. Only Jiraiya had respected him before anyone else did.

Jiraiya had handed him the tools to become stronger. Without the Sage's guidance and belief in Naruaki's strengths, he wouldn't have reached the heights of power and prestige.

Still, Naruaki, for all his life, had never submitted to any authority but his own.

_That_ saved him from completely losing hope. _That_ allowed him to take the helping hand that Kyuubi offered and start over again.

Danzo didn't know it but Naruaki was a weapon of his own making that Yondaime would wield against him. No one in Konoha knew Danzo better than he did, with the sole exception of perhaps Sandaime. Only, Sandaime was _blind_. He had always been blind when it came to people he cared about. Because of his past dealings with Danzo, he also knew what his minions were like. He knew the strengths and weaknesses of the members of _Ne. _He knew just which buttons to push and which to leave alone.

Naruaki was aware that Danzo's retaliation was on the horizon. He wouldn't allow Yondaime's actions to go unpunished.

Danzo's favorite weapon was psychological warfare. He would turn his attention to all of Yondaime's vulnerabilities and attack them mercilessly. He'd take Yondaime's greatest and most cherished weakness and turn it against him.

Naruaki knew that Danzo would come after Naruto.

A small smirk crawled onto his lips as he stepped into the room that contained their prisoner. Nothing betrayed the unknown ninja. Not even a single trace of _Ne_ lingered about him. Everything pointed in the direction of Orochimaru.

But, the plan was too damn _obvious_ for it to be Orochimaru. The Sanin might be a bit fruity and a show-off but he was no fool. He wouldn't make his move so early in the game.

"So what do you think?" Kakashi asked as he casually leaned against the wall. "Is it truly Orochimaru as you suspected?"

Naruaki mimicked Kakashi's relaxed pose and leaned against the wall by his friend's side. "Actually, now that I'm not worried about Naruto's injuries, I've a different opinion on the matter." He confessed. He had jumped to conclusions when his father informed him that Sasuke was the target. "Don't you think that this plan in too… too _simple?_" He asked, tilting his head to the side. "I mean, this smacks of desperation and lacks the planning that Orochimaru is capable of."

Kakashi glanced at him from the corner of his eyes, "And you know Orochimaru _that_ well?"

Naruaki fought his instinctive urge to react to that slip. "Well, ever since the man ran, I've been working with nii-san and Sandaime-sama- what?" He asked in irritation at Kakashi's strange expression.

"You've started calling sensei '_nii-san_' regularly now. I thought you were still uncomfortable with the whole situation." Kakashi explained.

The ANBU raised a brow silently and shrugged, "It takes getting used to. I've been alone all my life so it is odd to have a relative… much less a brother." '_or a father_' he added mentally. He was still struggling to understand what the relationship between a father and son was supposed to be like.

Kakashi nodded before looking at their prisoner. "So you think this is a misdirection? Who'd risk the wrath of the Uchiha clan for simple misdirection?"

"Someone who is too comfortably situated in his place of power to actually worry about retaliation." Naruaki replied calmly. "Orochimaru may possibly covet the Sharingan but he won't attack so clumsily. Making the Uchiha clan aware of his interest will only hinder him. No, this is someone else's game. And," Naruaki smiled, his expression so pleasant, it was terrifying. "Look here, our honorable guest is now awake." He purred.

The captured ninja didn't struggle, nor did he seem fazed by the threat of torture written in Naruaki's expression. He met the icy blue gaze of his captor and simply raised a brow.

Kakashi glanced at Naruaki with a bored expression in his visible eye. "So what are we going to do with this man?"

Naruaki walked forward and knelt down before his tied captor. "I'd like to inform you," he began politely, "That I have placed a seal on your person that ensures that you can do nothing but breathe, shout and cry without my permission." He smiled. "This means that whatever nifty poison seals that you have on your person are negated. I have also taken the liberty to remove the two tablets in your mouth that you had cleverly hidden underneath false teeth. Your chakra is completely sealed and that remote tracking device that you had placed under the skin of your arm is removed as well."

Kakashi grimaced at the reminder. _He_ had been the one to search and remove that after all.

Naruaki reached into his pocket, removed a small seal tag and placed it on the ninja's forehead. "This little piece of paper contained a seal that I developed for a friend of mine." He chuckled lightly. "He was a pervert, you see. He'd place this seal on his lover and all the sensations that she felt during the act of love making were amplified by this seal."

His father's student suddenly coughed, looking at Naruaki incredulously.

"Now you," Naruaki continued with an amused look on his face that didn't reach his icy gaze, "just like my friend here, must be wondering why I placed this seal on you." He wrinkled his nose, "Not to worry, I have no intention on forcing any sexual advances on you. I prefer my lovers to be soft, supple and curvaceous. I'm afraid you're the wrong gender." He said with a smile that was frankly creeping Kakashi out.

It was also having a visible effect on their captive.

After all, who discussed sex during a torture and interrogation session?

"It," Naruaki said as he ran a thin senbon down the ninja's cheek lightly, "amplifies all physical sensations. A kiss is ten times more intense." He explained to his paling victim. "A simple caress is enough to push a lover to the heights of orgasm."

Kakashi, by now, just wanted to leave. There was something so sinister in Naruaki's words that it unnerved him. He could see that their prisoner was in no better shape.

"Consequently," He whispered and the ninja screamed as Naruaki grasped a small piece of skin between his thumb and forefinger and twisted his hand viciously. "pain is also amplified." He said, watching as a simple pinch was enough to garner a scream from the hardened warrior.

"Ingenious, is it not?" Naruaki asked casually and rolled the senbon between his fingers. "Now, you know what I wish to ask." He said. "So I won't waste our time asking questions. You can do one of two things. One: Tell me what I need to know. Two: Be silent… no, _try_ to be silent as I exact my revenge for hurting my nephew." He smirked sharply, his eyes glittering with wrath. "Bear in mind that I'd love nothing more to render your flesh from bone for daring to touch Naruto."

"Go to hell." The man spat out.

"Well!" Naruaki leaned back, visibly pleased. "Thank you for granting me permission to torture you. I humbly accept your gift." He announced cheerfully.

Kakashi carefully tuned out all the screams and whimpers. He watched as Naruaki kept increasing the power of the seal until even the brush of his fingers became intensely painful for the victim. All ninja had been trained to ignore pain and withstand torture but this was something different.

Naruaki knew just how to manipulate the situation to his liking. He'd reduce the intensity of the seal and use conventional torture methods like shallow cuts and burns. He'd then increase the power of the seal to apply ointments and medicines. While they'd normally sting but under the influence of the seal, they burned viciously. It was agony for the ninja. He couldn't decide when to brace himself for the pain. It always came unexpectedly and in different forms.

"Wa…wait!" The ninja interrupted frantically when Naruaki started eying his nails, twirling a senbon threateningly in his fingers. He panted, trying to stop his torturer before he drove those needles underneath his nails.

He cleared his throat only to cry out in pain. The seal was at its maximum strength and it was agony to speak with his throat so raw from screaming. "Pl…please…" he gasped out.

Naruaki leaned back stoically and lowered the flow of his chakra to the seal. "Speak."

"I can't speak." He whispered hoarsely. "_He_ has ways to know if someone is leaking information." He gasped out.

Kakashi raised a brow. "No names?"

"No." the man shook his head. "It's best you ask questions so I can confirm or deny."

"You're being strangely informative." Naruaki said and abruptly spiked the intensity of the seal to its maximum, breaking the man's finger.

The ninja screamed, tears flowing down his cheek as his body struggled to cope. He shook, "Pl-pl-ple-ase!" He moaned. "I pr-prom-se! No t-tri-cks."

Naruaki observed the pitiful figure in front of him stoically before nodding. "Is the man a recently acknowledged traitor of Konoha?"

Kakashi glanced at Naruaki, surprised by the roundabout question.

"N-no."

Naruaki smiled, "Good. Not Orochimaru, Kakashi. Was your true target the one you attempted to kidnap or the one you attempted to kill?"

"Smart." His father's student commented.

"N-nei-ther."

"Very good." Naruaki nodded. "Was this a warning or a distraction?"

"Dis-dis-"

"Understood." The ANBU interrupted the stammer. "It was a distraction." He paused, considering his words carefully.

"Konoha, Iwa, Suna, Kiri, Kumo?"

"Kon-o-ha."

"Recently elected?"

"Ye-s."

"Older than sixty?"

"Yes."

"Others involved?"

"Yes."

"Let me guess. Iwa?"

"Yes."

"Fully informed or manipulated."

"M-manipu-"

"Manipulated, I assume." Kakashi completed for him, looking at Naruaki in marvel.

The Hokage's brother just nodded. "Do you know when?"

"N-o."

"I see." Naruaki whispered. "For the real mission; the target, was it the one you attempted to kill?"

"Yes."

"Anyone else?"

"Yes."

"I see." He frowned, "Older or younger of the two?"

Kakashi raised a brow quizzically but the ninja captive understood what Naruaki was asking.

"Younger."

"To coerce or to exterminate?"

"E-either."

"Naruaki?" He asked cautiously. "What was-"

"Hold on, Kakashi. We need to finish this." Naruaki said before turning his attention towards their captive.

"Any other relevant information you can tell me without triggering _his_ alarms?" He asked.

"No." The ninja said.

"Was that a lie?"

Their captive paused before shaking his head. "No."

Naruaki raised a brow. A small spike of chakra into the seal was all that was needed for the man to cry out and plead that he spoke the truth.

The ANBU accepted it and moved on. "Do you regret hurting the children?"

The ninja paused before closing his eyes. "No."

"Good to know." Naruaki said neutrally and stood. Placing a tag on the ninja's forehead, he nodded to himself. "Erase."

Kakashi arched a brow when their captive's eyes turned blank. "Knock him out. We must wait till nii-san decides his punishment." The Namikaze said and turned to leave.

The younger man did was he was told and followed Naruaki out. The ANBU sealed the room before closing his eyes and leaning tiredly against the wall.

"That was intense." Kakashi commented, looking at Naruaki without any judgment on his face. His friend's capacity to be so cruel and remain so unaffected while torturing had certainly surprised him. "Are you alright?"

Naruaki snorted and shook his head, "Peachy." He whispered sarcastically. "Come, nii-san must be getting impatient by now."

Kakashi nodded and followed him to Minato's study. "By the way," the Hatake asked after a while of silence. "Can that seal really be used for… you know… _that?_"

Naruaki looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What are you, a little girl?" He asked in amusement. "_'That'_? Yes, it was created for _that_ purpose. I made it for a friend as a birthday gift." He snorted. "Seriously, you're an experienced ninja and can't bring yourself to say the words 'sex'?"

"Sex?" A voice interrupted their discussion, "Why on earth are you discussing sex?"

Kakashi paled slightly while Naruaki looked at his father in amusement. "You'll find out soon enough."

The conflict on Yondaime's face was entertaining to watch. He was caught between protectiveness and his natural reluctance to discuss the issue with his teenage son. Clearing his throat uncomfortably, he sighed. "Come on, I need a full report on why you saw it fit to interrogate the suspect yourself. You should've let the Torture and Interrogation Force handle it."

The seal-master shook his head. "They wouldn't know how to ask the right questions."

Yondaime narrowed his eyes when Kakashi nodded in agreement. "Yes, sensei. I was a little skeptical before but after witnessing the interrogation, I think it was a good idea to let Aki-san do it."

"Aki-san?" Naruaki echoed in bewilderment, unsure whether he liked the nickname.

"You have a long name." Kakashi replied with a nonchalant shrug, "I _could_ call you Aki-nii, if you prefer." Kakashi teased with his signature eye-smile.

Naruaki recoiled in horror at the mere thought.

Yondaime ignored it, focusing on more important things for now. "Very well. Naruaki, I want to know _everything. _Leave nothing out." He ordered before glancing at Kakashi. "Clean that bastard up and erase all traces of Naruaki's work on him." He commanded his student. "Then hand him over to the T&I department."

Kakashi nodded and left quickly.

Naruaki walked over to the crib placed by his father's desk and peered down at Naruto. The baby of their family was sleeping peacefully but the bandage around the child's neck once again brought bile to the ANBU's throat. Gently, he brushed his finger along Naruto's pudgy cheek; his sharp eyes alit with protectiveness.

A firm hand landed on his upper back, "He's strong. You're the proof of that." Yondaime whispered, smiling fondly at his sons before sighing. "I had prepared myself of the inevitability of this." He admitted. "Given my station and fame and Kushina's family legacy." He shook his head, "At least, I thought I had. It's still… difficult."

"He'll always be in some danger." Naruaki said. "I had forgotten that."

The Hokage nodded before walking behind his desk and falling tiredly in his chair. "I wish I could take the day off. I've very little time, took only an hour's break." He closed his eyes and leaned back. "Report."

Naruaki instinctively straightened at the firm, commanding tone his father employed. Moving away from Naruto's crib, he stood in front Minato's desk and began explaining. "This is one of Danzo's tricks for sure." He informed. "It took some maneuvering, but I was able to go around all his security precautions. In brief, I found this. One: It was a distraction. By specifically attacking Sasuke instead of Naruto, he was pointing a large finger at Orochimaru."

Minato laced his fingers under his chin. "Orochimaru's obsession with the Uchiha clan became obvious after finding many Uchiha victims in his hidden labs. Looking at him as a suspect in this case wouldn't have been too much of a stretch, I guess."

Naruaki nodded. "Two: He has a bigger plan and has somehow involved Iwa in this. It would've been impossible to get any other details regarding that from him." The Hokage hummed in agreement before gesturing him to continue. "Three: I'm on his list now." He admitted, causing Yondaime's eyes to snap open and look at him sharply. "He wants recruit me into _Ne_ and if that's not possible, he's aiming to kill me."

Minato grit his teeth, his pale blue eyes narrowing an icy glare. "What?" He hissed.

"I was only a matter of time before I fell on his radar." Naruaki replied casually. "I think he perceives that the two of us together is a dangerous combination."

The Hokage scowled, "What else?"

"Nothing." The ANBU shook his head. "I have no fixed dates and times for you father, forgive me."

"No." Minato said. "You did good. Sit down." Naruaki silently slid into the chair. "Something's not right here, Naruaki. Danzo's too sly to make such a blatant move. He _must_ haveknown we'd pick this up." He frowned.

Naruaki leaned back in his seat, covering his mouth in thought as he stared blankly at the floor. His father had a point. "A subtle warning to back off?"

"We can't make any assumptions." The Hokage said warily. "Gunning after you and Naruto is such a classic _Danzo _move. Two people possibly more precious to me than anything."

Suddenly a thought struck him. "Father, it's only been few months. Since I arrived, that is." He said. "No one would think that we'd have formed a trust-filled relationship yet."

Minato sat up suddenly. "He wants to isolate you. Let everyone, including me, think you're a traitor and then come for you."

The younger Namikaze nodded slowly. "That seems likely, don't you think?"

"To see you go down would be enough motivation. If he got to Naruto too, it would be a double whammy. It'd almost destroy me and he knows it." The Hokage said seriously.

"Dad…"

Minato only shook his head. "This is too simple for Danzo. Too obvious. I don't like it."

"I don't either. And I don't like his confidence. He's always been a cautious bastard. Lately, all his actions seem somewhat reckless. It makes me uneasy." Naruaki said in reply. "What do you suggest we do?"

"For now, nothing. Just keep Naruto safe." The Hokage said. "The Uchiha clan is taking care of their own security. Even if this wasn't Orochimaru, we can't really let the two Uchiha heirs be in any sort of danger." He raised a brow at his eldest. "As _you_ clearly warned me, they'll prove valuable in the future." He shrugged and looked at Naruto's crib absently. "I'll discuss this with sensei, see what he thinks."

Naruaki nodded.

"Meanwhile, I've asked Sousuke to start your training tomorrow." Minato commented. "He finally cleared his schedule enough for that." He shook his head and grumbled. "One would think that my ANBU would make time for the Hokage's son when the Hokage demanded it but not Sousuke. _Noo_, he has to be a self-important jackass."

And just like that, the serious atmosphere was gone. The younger Namikaze looked at his father with a confused yet fond smile. He still wasn't used to just how multi-faceted the older man was. One couldn't pin his personality down to a single type. He could be a Hokage one moment and an adoring father the next. He could be stern and commanding and at the blink of an eye, become humorous and somewhat silly.

Suddenly, the Yondaime's eyes narrowed on him. "Why were you and Kakashi discussing sex?"

Naruaki stilled, caught slightly off guard. "I…"

"I mean, it isn't a topic that pops up after you torture and interrogate someone after all." Minato said, leaning forward in interest.

"Oh father, you have _no_ idea." A slightly sinister smirk crossed the younger Naruaki's lips before he went on to explain exactly _how_ he had retrieved the information.

Minato wished he hadn't asked.

"Where the hell do you come up with these ideas?" He asked incredulously, observing the seal that Naruaki drew for him, "It's completely… _insane_ how you create your seals. I think you've created an entirely new branch of FuuinJutsu by yourself. Seals that effect the mind of the victim like GenJutsu."

Naruaki chuckled before shrugging. "I remember once that Kakashi-sensei said that I had a rebellious mind and an overactive imagination along with the Uzumaki proclivity for FuuinJutsu. Besides, those seals aren't GenJutsu, they're real."

Yondaime paused, observing his son thoughtfully. "You know, your relationship with Kakashi baffles me." He confessed, "Sometimes, it seems that you almost detest him but then you seem to respect him and like him."

His eldest sighed and shook his head, "Kakashi-sensei and I… well, we had a complicated relationship in my past life." He said softly. "At first, I don't think he liked me very much. I think he was disappointed in me because I looked so much like you and yet possessed none of your genius."

Minato arched a brow, "None of my genius." He deadpanned. "Are you serious? Your FuuinJutsu is incredible and NinJutsu isn't bad either."

Naruaki tilted his head to the side, watching as his father leaned forward in interest. Thus far, he had kept his past away from his father aside from a few mandatory details. Still, keeping the man at arm's length was becoming somewhat exhausting.

Danzo's plan of dividing them was unlikely to succeed but it was better to form deeper ties than those of blood now.

He wavered indecisively for a moment. Acknowledging his own failures and losses to his much adored and respected father wasn't something he wanted to do. Even now, after all he went through, there was a part of him that still longed for approval for his precious people.

And who were more precious to him than his parents?

"Naruaki?"

The Namikaze heir sighed before nodding decisively to himself. "As you know, you died on the day Kyuubi was sealed into me." He said and Minato's eyes widened, realizing that his son was finally opening up to him. "Mother died as well. When you sealed him into me, you left behind two, _very precious gifts_ for me. A portion of your chakra and my mother's chakra was sealed into me so that I'd have some guidance when I faltered."

Minato looked at his son, fascinated by the expressions that crossed his face. There was pain, but also deep gratitude and understanding. It was readily apparent that Naruaki didn't blame him for what happened that night. Understanding what was necessary for the village and understanding the responsibilities of a Hokage.

"Life until I became a Genin passed with an atrocious lack of care and proper upbringing." He confessed. "I didn't know how to read or write until I was five. My vocabulary possessed more curse words than anything that would allow me to make intelligent conversation. Those who didn't hate me outright, were wary of me, those who weren't wary, completely indifferent."

The Hokage sighed, "I see."

Naruaki smiled and shook his head, "People with such upbringing go in completely different directions, I guess." He admitted. "And I, fortunately, chose the right path. There were moments of darkness, when their hatred of me nearly overwhelmed me… but I was stubborn I guess. Like mother."

Minato smiled fondly.

"Sandaime did what he could but as you know, the aftermath of Kyuubi left too much to do. They had to be vigilant." He explained, "I went to the academy at the age of five, woefully undereducated, barely able to string together words to form a sentence. I was declared an idiot at first glance. It didn't really help that no one wanted to waste time teaching me things. I tried, believe me, to learn on my own but made very slow progress. As a lively child, I was constantly distracted by anything new and shiny," he said with an amused smile, "and lacked patience to master anything before moving on. Everything was half-learned."

"My God." Minato whispered, "That's…"

Naruaki shrugged, "I guess no one really understood what it's like. They thought they were doing me a favor by feeding me and putting a roof on my head. Sandaime visited me at least once in two months but he couldn't spare any time and effort. At six, I got my own apartment and allowance. More isolation and neglect followed. My chakra control was _horrible_. I had too much chakra to do any academy technique easily. Living alone, I neglected my own health, it wasn't unusual for me not to bathe for days or eat only once a day and sometimes, not even that much. I didn't know better."

"Of course, you didn't." Yondaime murmured, his voice low and pained.

"When the loneliness started to get to me, I felt so insignificant. _Everyone _needs some sort of acknowledgement, whether negative or positive. People of Konoha just ignored me like I was invisible. At first, I tried to do good deeds to draw their attention. Helped out a few old people, found and returned lost things and the like," he leaned back and looked at the ceiling, recalling those days of desperate longing for some companionship. "but nothing worked. So, I changed tactics, started playing pranks on people, disturbing their lives and their peace on a regular basis. I made it so that they couldn't ignore me. Each prank was more extravagant than the last," he chuckled, "I even painted the Hokage Mountain."

Minato snorted, too disturbed by his son's childhood recounting to really find any amusement.

"As you can imagine, this drew their attention and along with their attention, there was an increase in hate and disgust. Before this, when I was out of sight, I was out of mind. Now, with me reigning havoc, being loud, deliberately trying to draw their attention, they couldn't just be indifferent to me." Naruaki swallowed. "My progress at the academy slowed down even more with my distraction. I just didn't care anymore. I wanted to be a ninja; I wanted to be a Hokage for all the _wrong_ reasons."

"So that's why you failed twice." Minato said, "A combination of neglect and your own distractedness."

Naruaki nodded. "I was foolish."

"You were a child." Minato reprimanded gently, "And no child truly enjoys hard work. Without an adult to guide you, you did your best." When Naruaki shrugged, unconvinced, Minato frowned, "You think you wasted those years, don't you?"

His eldest sighed, combing his fingers through his hair. "In hindsight, I could've utilized my time much better. So many wrongs could've been-"

"You can't really blame yourself, Naruaki." Yondaime said sternly. "You're looking at a child with an adult's point of view." He tilted his head to the side, observing his son's unconvinced frown before continuing, "You know what I think?" Naruaki arched a brow in question, "I think what you call distractedness is really potential unutilized. A child really can't learn everything on its own."

Naruaki smiled at his father fondly, "You're just making excuses for me, sir. You were disappointed when you saw my file."

Minato winced, admitting to himself that, yes, he had been disappointed. "I didn't know you then."

His son chuckled, "Precisely. You didn't know me and therefore, weren't biased."

Yondaime narrowed his eyes, leaned forward to glare at his son. His voice was icy as he spoke, "I'm not an idiot, Naruaki." He said sharply, "If you were insignificant, I wouldn't have said anything to imply otherwise. My so-called _bias_ is actually a real understand of your own excellent character. You've become your harshest critic. Consider this, if we neglected Naruto to such an extent and he followed your path, would you blame him?"

Sensing that he had offended his father, Naruaki winced, "I… sorry, I didn't mean to-" Shaking his head, he sighed. "Admittedly, I played a very important role in Konoha's future." He confessed softly. "And that's not a responsibility that I should've taken lightly. I guess, in a way, you're right. No one knew how important it was to train and nurture me properly, not even Sandaime."

"You're not a weapon." Minato said firmly. "You can't view yourself as such. It _is_ regretful that your potential was neglected. Perhaps its ill-effects still linger, but you've overcome much of it. You're so young and still manage to stand toe-to-toe with me in a fight."

Naruaki smiled when he remembered their exhilarating spar. "That was so much fun."

Yondaime chuckled, "We'll spar again, don't worry." He assured, "Still, I think you should give yourself some credit, son. Despite all odds, with nearly insurmountable obstacles before you, you managed to become strong. That speaks in your favor."

"I guess." Naruaki conceded.

"What changed?" Yondaime asked. "You don't seem to be suffering any _physical_ consequences of your childhood."

Naruaki looked down at himself and smiled in amusement. There wasn't a slightest trace of malnutrition on him. He was the very picture of health. "We should probably thank mother for that." He said. "And perhaps, Kyuubi. Maybe, it was also the very timely interference of Umino Iruka." Minato frowned at the vaguely familiar name. "He was our sensei at the academy. Didn't like me at first." He smirked, "Story of my life, apparently." Shrugging his shoulder, he continued. "Still, somewhere within himself, he found some sympathy for me and started paying attention. First it was just teaching, soon he started to nag me about everything else." He recalled with fond amusement. "Because of Iruka-sensei, I started eating properly again, taking baths every day, training every day, learning with some proper guidance."

Minato breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good." He listened avidly as Naruaki described his academy life after that, noting how much it had improved. _Some_ damage couldn't be undone so soon. Naruaki had gotten into the habit of being neglectful with his training and that lingered. He was too active a boy to concentrate on one thing at a time.

His eyes widened when he heard just how his son had graduated. The extent of Konoha's hatred was expressed clearly in Mizuki's careless words.

"… was put on a team with Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura with Kakashi as my teacher."

Minato looked at his son with raised brows. "Uchiha Sasuke? It's interesting how _his_ name keeps popping up. You were close to him?"

Naruaki smiled grimly, "Let us not get into _that._ I don't have the inclination or the energy to get into my relationship with Sasuke. Needless to say, it won't be repeated in this lifetime."

The Hokage's eyes narrowed shrewdly. "He hurt you. _Badly._"

His son tried to shrug it off but Minato's observant eyes caught it. "Naruaki?"

The ANBU drew a sharp breath, "Didn't you want to hear about Kakashi?"

Yondaime arched a brow, unimpressed by the clumsy attempt at misdirection. At his son's pleading glance, however, he conceded and nodded.

Naruaki sighed in relief and continued with his account. "As I said before, Kakashi was completely unimpressed by me. Perhaps, I also brought him some very bad memories. I looked like you, acted like mom and was just as idiotic and flamboyant as Obito." Minato chuckled at the description, understanding just how difficult it would've been for Kakashi. "I must have tried his patience constantly so it was sort of understandable that he ignored me most of the time. Sasuke was his favorite student at that time. I… _resented_ that."

"_Favorite_ student?" Minato asked with a raised brow. "He favored one student above the other?" His voice was nearly dripping with disapproval. "That's… unethical."

Naruaki snorted, "But almost religiously practiced. Sandaime did it, favoring Orochimaru over Tsunade and Jiraiya. Jiraiya favored you over your teammates. The thing is, I had spent so many years being ignored, I thought that being on a Genin team would change that, God knows why." He said with a sigh. "He didn't really teach me anything but Chakra control exercises. I know that a Jounin sensei wouldn't dedicate much of his time to teaching jutsu to his students, focusing instead on teamwork and guiding them through missions, still. I was so woefully undertrained. I think Kakashi felt that giving me any power or skill would be unwise, assuming that I'd use it frivolously."

"So you only had Kage Bunshin and clumsy TaiJutsu in your arsenal." Minato said, looking very grim. "I no longer wonder at your odd history. I guess Kyuubi was your trump card?"

His eldest nodded, "Until Jiraiya came along it was the only thing I could rely on, really, to get me out of sticky situations. A double-edged sword, definitely." He combed his fingers through his hair tiredly, "Thinking about those days makes me feel so depressed, it's intolerable." He grumbled, a smile of wry amusement crossing his lips.

Minato chuckled, "What changed?" he asked after a pause.

Naruaki tilted his head back, looking at the ceiling absently. "Years later, he somewhat redeemed himself and after that, when we fought together in many, _impossible_ battles, we… sort of bonded. Jiraiya will always be my _true_ teacher and mentor. I wouldn't be where I am now without him, but Kakashi became my _comrade_ and my friend in the later years." He shrugged, "I guess the temptation to treat him with the same dismissive indifference gets hold of me sometimes." He smiled a bit, "Petty, I know but I don't claim to be a saint."

Sensing that this was all he'd be able to get out of Naruaki, Minato chose to take the conversation in another direction. "You know, thus far I've been too distracted by your exemplary FuuinJutsu to question it, but during our spar… you performed _two_ variations of Rasengan."

Naruaki smirked, "Jealous?" He asked, wriggling his brows.

Minato favored him with a fond look of amusement, "Brat."

That look always softened Naruaki. There was no replacement for it. None of Iruka's smiles, none of Kakashi's indulgent warmth, none of Jiraiya's playful banter or Tsunade's oddly violent tenderness came _anywhere_ close to Minato's unwavering, deep and paternal affection.

He conceded defeat with a small smile that on anyone else, would almost be _shy. _Minato saw it with a slightly painful smile of his own. It was so reminiscent of Kushina.

"I just took off where you left it." Naruaki said, shaking his head. "It took a lot of time and a _hell _lot of effort to get it mastered. Fuuton – Rasenshuriken is an extremely complex jutsu and attacks on the cellular level. Imagine millions upon millions of tiny blades attacking you constantly for several long, painful minutes." Minato raised a brow in disbelief. "Kakashi's Sharingan couldn't even keep track of all the attacks. It nearly destroyed my arm and even with _my_ chakra levels, I can do it only a limited number of times."

Minato whistled. On any day, Naruaki's chakra surpassed his considerably. Their initial suspicions that Kyuubi's extraction had reduced his chakra were proven false. It had only extended his recovery time and he didn't have a back up ace in the hole anymore.

"What you saw that day was an underpowered version."

Yondaime stilled, looking at his son incredulously. "_That_ was underpowered? How? It obliterated by Raiton attack!"

Naruaki raised an unimpressed brow, "Father, the kind of opponents I had to face in my lifetime… well, let's just say, Rasengan would've never been enough. Don't underestimate Rasenshuriken. It's a KinJutsu and S-Rank all range offensive jutsu. I can hardly use it against you at full power, can I? In fact, I hadn't planned on using it at all. Even by accident, if it struck anybody, there is absolutely no chance of surviving it." He explained seriously before smiling, "Besides, Rasenshuriken isn't my most powerful jutsu, that honor belongs to one original technique outside of FuuinJutsu. _That,_ I think, you'd rather _not_ face."

Minato raised a brow, "You have a technique more powerful than Rasenshuriken?"

"Yeah, quite a few." Naruaki admitted, "But the relative power for those techniques depends on the situation. Rasenshuriken is, perhaps, the most brutally lethal jutsu I possess. It isn't a pleasant way to die. The pain, from what I can tell, is _excruciating_ and normal ninja just can't defend against it. It nearly killed my arm and I spent months to try and come with a way to use it safely." _Without the Sage mode, that is._

"Pity, I've little time to learn it at the moment." The Hokage said with disappointment.

"You can always do your own thing." The ANBU said with a raised brow. "You _did_ intend to expand on Rasengan, didn't you? I would love to teach it to you but I've always wished to see how you'd have expanded Rasengan. The base for that jutsu is yours, father, I think you'd come up with something much better than Rasenshuriken."

Minato scoffed and looked at Naruaki indulgently, "As much as I appreciate your confidence, I don't think I would." He tilted his head to the side in question, "So, how did you master it eventually?"

Naruaki smirked slyly, "Now that's a secret." He waved his finger, "I think I'll keep a few of my techniques hidden for now."

"You didn't go all-out in that spar, did you?" The Hokage asked the younger man. "You held back."

Naruaki only shrugged in reply and Minato chuckled, "Fine, keep your secrets." He stood and stretched, relaxing his shoulders, he smiled down at his son, "Watch over Naru-chan? I think I must return to work for now."

The ANBU nodded, leaning over the crib and wriggling his fingers at Naruto. The baby, in typical baby fashion, quickly became fascinated with those dancing digits and tried to grasp them with his cute little hands. The Yondaime smiled again at the charming picture his children made before leaving.

As he was exiting his manor, he blinked, sensing a familiar presence just outside his gates. He wasn't surprised to find Fugaku walking in his direction. "Uchiha-san." He greeted with a nod, his gaze flickering slightly towards Itachi and back to the older Uchiha. "How may I help you?"

Fugaku grimaced, "I apologize for bothering you, sir." He said humbly, "The clan is somewhat unsettled and chaotic at the moment and neither Sasuke nor Itachi have had any peace. I left Sasuke with Mikoto since she's awake and her sister is with her but I was hoping that Namikaze-sama would be willing to continue Itachi's lesson plan."

Minato arched a brow, looking down at the boy. His injuries were dealt with and he no longer looked exhausted. The Hokage was aware that the child had a training session scheduled with Naruaki for the evening, but he had honestly thought Uchiha would cancel it.

"Of course," he said after a moment of contemplation, "Lessons would distract Itachi from this morning's ordeal." He paused before nodding to himself. "If it's alright with you, let Itachi stay for the night. Kakashi and Rin will be coming over for dinner so he won't be lacking company."

Fugaku looked visibly relieved. There was so much to do and with Mikoto still in the hospital and the mystery of the attack still unsolved, he was uneasy. At least, with his master, Itachi would be safe. "Thank you, Yondaime-sama." He bowed. "I would really appreciate that."

Yondaime nodded, "Go on ahead, Itachi-kun." He said with a small, comforting smile. "I'm certain Naruaki won't object to your presence."

The young boy bowed before running inside. When Fugaku made to follow him, Minato placed a hand on the Uchiha's shoulder. "I wouldn't do that." He warned casually. Fugaku looked back at the Hokage and started when he found himself under the scrutiny of a single, icy blue eye. Naruaki had been _very_ careful with his words when he advised Minato about the future, however, his son often forgot from whom he inherited his wit and slyness.

It was obvious that while Naruaki desperately wanted to keep the Uchihas in line, they _had_ done something in the future to merit his distrust.

Especially, Sasuke.

"Hokage-sama?" Fugaku asked, puzzled.

"The warding seals are at full strength, Uchiha-san. This is Naruaki's work, not mine or Kushina's." He explained bluntly. "Be certain, _absolutely_ certain that you're loyal to me before attempting to step into my home."

The Uchiha froze, his heart beating violently in his chest. To a certain extent, he _was_ loyal to the Hokage, increasingly so in these past few months. However, there was still that feeling of separation, that resentment which was now a part of Konoha's history. It developed during the reign of Nidaime, was nurtured in the reign of Sandaime and under the influence of Danzo. Only recently, had the Uchiha clan been shown a small measure of trust.

Despite his actions, Yondaime really didn't have his complete loyalty yet.

"I thought so." Minato said calmly, his eyes impassive and stance relaxed.

Fugaku thought that he had never seen the Hokage look so dangerous.

"Hokage-sama, I-"

"Given the Uchiha clan's history in Konoha," Yondaime said, and the tone of his voice was almost dismissive, as though they were discussing something of very little importance. "I'm certain that _some_ allowances can be made. The best kind of loyalty is the loyalty that is earned, I think." He commented with ease but Fugaku still felt as though his life was handing by a thread. "And I was a relative unknown before the war… and before I became the Hokage. I don't expect blind devotion from anyone."

Fugaku was frozen as the Hokage nodded and turned, walking away from him. He still felt as though he had escaped a dangerous situation by a hair's breadth.

"Of course," The Uchiha stiffened again, his wide eyes looking ahead to see Yondaime glance at him over his shoulder, "There are _limits_ to my charity so you had better be careful, hmm?"

He swallowed, "Hai, Hokage-sama."

The Uchiha leader only relaxed when Yondaime disappeared from his sight, letting out a breath he wasn't aware he had been holding. He looking down to see that his hands were cold and pale, his fingers faintly trembling.

What monstrous killing intent. And yet, it was so subtle that he barely even registered it. Only his body's instinctive response to danger made him aware of it. How could a man who looked so innocent, seemed so amiable and kind possess such a ruthlessly powerful presence?

Taking a deep breath, he turned around, looking at the relatively small manor that stood before him. He couldn't see the wards but Mikoto had once told him that both Yondaime and his wife had implemented some rather intricate security seals around it. And now the Hokage's brother had _added_ to it.

The same brother who Itachi respected and admired. It said a lot about his son's loyalties if he was able to pass through them without even a ripple of chakra.

Unable to contemplate that thought anymore, he spun around and left via Shunshin.

Inside, Uchiha Itachi found himself standing in front of his master, uncomfortable under that steady, enquiring gaze. Hesitantly, he explained his presence and watched as Namikaze-sama sighed.

"We can't really practice calligraphy or seal forms with your arm injured." His teacher said and stood, "Come, let us find a more open place."

Itachi watched curiously as his teacher leaned over the crib and gently plucked the Hokage's little baby from it. The baby let out a happy gurgle at being held and out of habit, latched onto his sensei's long hair.

The older man didn't seem to mind, situating the child comfortably in one arm with practiced ease.

His father never seemed so comfortable when he held Sasuke so it was odd to see it. "What're we going to do today sensei, if we're not studying calligraphy and forms?"

"Hmm." Naruaki murmured in thought as he led Itachi to their large courtyard. Kakashi and Rin would be here in a few hours' time and the cook was already busy. There was nothing to keep him occupied so perhaps it was best that Itachi had come.

The courtyard was typical of Japanese houses and the garden was beautifully sculpted thanks to his father's love for nature and his mother's green thumb.

Baby Naruto, always happy to be out of the house, let out a delighted coo and Itachi relaxed in the soothing atmosphere.

Naruaki's gestured his student to sit down on the engawa as he paced before him, patting Naruto's back gently to get him to sleep for a few hours at least. "Perhaps it's time I explain some theory to you."

Itachi nodded, giving his teacher all his attention. "Tell me, Itachi-kun, what have you managed to unearth about FuuinJutsu since you became my apprentice?"

The Uchiha heir tilted his head to the side, "Not much. It's a technique used to seal objects, chakra and sometimes even living things within another object. Like sealing a kunai into a scroll." Naruaki nodded. "Hokage-sama's wife was the from the clan known for their formidable Sealing Techniques and she was the one who taught Yondaime-sama everything about seals."

"True." Naruaki said. "But Hokage-sama and Kushina-san were both only just starting to learn FuuinJutsu so there are many aspects of it that they didn't know. Konoha only _true_ FuuinJutsu master… or shall I say mistress was Uzumaki Mito-sama, Shodaime-sama's wife."

"Until you." His student pointed out.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not." Naruaki admitted. "Many of the Uzumaki clan techniques are truly lost. Mito-sama managed to pass on _some_ knowledge to Kushina-san. If I'm to believe the legends, my skill would pale in comparison to the best of Uzumaki specialists."

"Are there truly no more Uzumaki left?" Itachi asked ruefully. As a student of FuuinJutsu, he felt keen sorrow at the thought of such knowledge being lost and destroyed so recklessly. Knowledge was meant to be preserved and nurtured, after all.

Naruaki sighed, having similar thoughts. "There are some. I know at least three, including Naruto-chan, of course." He looked down at the baby fondly. "But I don't think they know much about sealing." Shaking his head, he gently extracted his hair from Naruto's fist before the child could put it in his mouth as he spoke. "Now, you remember that in our last session we discussed different tiers of sealing techniques?"

Itachi nodded.

"Tell me." The ANBU commanded.

"There are three tiers. Each tier consists of several sub layers. The first layer contains seals used for sealing passive objects and is the easiest of them all." Naruaki hummed, gesturing his student to continue. "These seals are used to store things and are usually drawn on scrolls. Sometimes, a true seal-master would be able to draw them on his body," Itachi eyed Naruaki's bandaged arms, knowing that they had storage seals drawn on them. "but that's usually dangerous unless done properly and with care."

"That's correct." Naruaki affirmed. "You may be surprised to know, Itachi-kun, that explosive seals are a part of this category sometimes. There're some, more complex explosive seals that store gun-powder as well as shrapnel to cause maximum damage."

Itachi _was_ surprised by this but nodding, continuing his recounting of their previous lesson. "The second layer had seal for sealing _and_ preserving objects. Ninja use it to store perishables and medic-nin use it to store their medical supplies. " His teacher nodded. "The last layer is to seal active objects like chakra on a small scale. Seal belonging to this layer are also time-bound and release when the chakra fed into the seal runs out."

"And can you guess why that is?" Naruaki asked, smiling faintly at his prodigious student. He watched as Itachi thought over it carefully, trying to analyze what was so different about that layer of seals in comparison to others in its tier.

His eyes widened the instant he got it and he smiled at his sensei. "Because chakra is _active_. It's constantly fighting the constraint."

"Precisely!" Naruaki cheered, "Well done, Itachi-kun. We'll learn about restraining active objects later on in your education but _this_ is a fundamental point that you must _never_ forget." Naruto started at his older brother's apparent excitement and looked up at him in puzzlement. Naruaki chuckled and took the baby's little hands to gently clap them together, "Itachi-nii is being very smart, Naru-chan, we must show our appreciation."

The Uchiha heir blushed, ducking his head bashfully. So many people in his clan and in the academy took his intelligence for granted, leveling higher expectations on him without showing any sort of appreciation for his previous efforts. When he succeeded, it was considered only natural that he did and therefore, nothing noteworthy; when he failed, he was subjected to several disappointed looks that screamed that he could do better.

Namikaze-sama's method of teaching was almost alien to him. He didn't praise liberally, or without cause, but when he did, it was genuine and frank. Itachi didn't feel that constant pressure to do better, work harder. He simply enjoyed himself learning at his own pace.

"The second tier seals?" Naruaki asked, after allowing Itachi to recover from his bout of bashfulness.

"Containment, channeling and protection." He recited immediately. "The second tier is the least used but perhaps the most useful tier of seals. They can also be used in conjunction with each other. A seal master can contain a significant amount of chakra in a seal, channel the said chakra and use it for protection by establishing wards and shields."

Naruaki nodded. "Very good. Recently, I came across a seal that's a rather disturbing example of all three layers of the second tier. This Juin jutsu contained a portion of the caster's chakra and will, channeled it through the victim's body, corrupting and enhancing it and protected itself from all attempts of removal. In a way, the creator has created a parasite that feeds on the victim's chakra as well as emotions."

"But how's that possible?" Itachi asked, "What purpose does feeding on emotions have?"

Naruaki tilted his head to the side in thought before answering, "Chakra is made up of part physical and part spiritual energy." He explained, "By feeding on violent emotions, it is unbalancing the spiritual energy and therefore _mutating _the victim's chakra in a certain way. It becomes vile, corrosive."

The ANBU paused before looking at Itachi thoughtfully, "We didn't discuss the third tier last time but before we do that, there's something I need explain."

Itachi looked at his teacher curiously as he raised his hand. Slowly, wind started to dance around them and a small cyclone-like construct formed on Naruaki's palm. "Chakra is the manifestation of our energies and it can often take an elemental bent. I possess Wind natured chakra like Hokage-sama. A rare find in Konoha. Most Uchiha possess Fire natured chakra. Some have duel affinities, like water and wind, which together form a superior element of Ice. We'll go into detail about that later." He waved his hand, allowing the mini-cyclone to dissipate. "Now, it's very difficult to mimic the effects of natural elemental chakra into seals. For most, it's simply beyond their ability. There are various seals to suppress fire but very few that can _create_ fire, if you understand my meaning."

The Uchiha heir nodded, intrigued. Naruaki smiled in amusement when he looked down to see an intense, well intensely _innocent,_ blue gaze focused on him. Naruto was fascinated by the sound of his voice, apparently, and was paying him just as much attention as his student.

"The third tier consists of what I like to call, _combination_ seals. Right now, it's too complicated for you to understand. The third tier takes a life of its own. It holds elemental seals, time-and-space seals, area-effect seals, large active containment seals and the like. _Every single seal_ belonging to the third tier is almost ridiculously complicated and difficult. Once mastered, these seals are the least time consuming and most chakra efficient jutsu."

"Yondaime-sama's Hiraishin no Jutsu seals belong to this category?" Itachi asked curiously after he comprehended the information his teacher had given him.

Naruaki smiled at the expected quickness of thought in his student and nodded in approval. "Yes." He affirmed. "Every seal in this tier is large and complex in its initial stages." He informed, "It takes time and practice to learn how to _condense_ these seals to smaller, manageable portions. Once you learn that, the seals become nearly impossible to decipher. When you master this particular skill, you are considered a FuuinJutsu expert. Mind, _merely_ an expert. To be considered a _Master_ you must be perfectly proficient in at least _one_ of the layers of the Third Tier. Hokage-sama is skilled Jikukan seals and a master of Large Active containment seals."

Itachi, just as Naruaki has suspected, immediately caught the difference. "So Hokage-sama's Hiraishin no Jutsu doesn't make him a master of Jikukan seals?"

"The highest achievement in _that_ particular layer is actually summoning." He said. "And I'm not talking of regular summoning from a contract that has existed for a long time. I'm talking of _creating_ a summoning contract. Creating a new summoning scroll is considered the penultimate challenge for a FuuinJutsu master. Once the contract is established," He sat down and gently placed Naruto on his lap before biting his thumb and rubbing blood on the now visible seal on the back of his right palm. "_Kuchiyose - Fujin no Musume._"

There was a brief, powerful gust of wind before a small, sprite-like figure appeared before them. She curtseyed prettily before swooping down to dance above Naruto's face. The little baby was instantly entranced and Itachi no less so.

"Sensei… Daughter of the God of Wind?" Itachi asked.

Naruaki chuckled when the playful sprite nuzzled his cheek, "This is the ultimate mastery of elemental chakra." He said. "And don't be fooled by her looks, she's just as vicious in battle as she's playful now. One must not summon such beings lightly."

Itachi raised a brow, "You summoned her right now. Isn't that summoning powerful beings frivolously?" He pointed out.

The ANBU smiled, "I'm teaching you." He replied, "And that's not frivolous. Being a teacher is the highest honor of all. Isn't that right?" He asked the sprite and she nodded solemnly in response. "Now, initially, creating a new summoning technique takes of lot of effort. Take for example the Wind family. This little sprite is the youngest and the least powerful of the Fujin Summons. After nearly two years of effort, she's all that I can summon." Itachi's eyes widened. "My covenant is with her is sealed already and shows only in the form of this little design." He lifted his hand and showed the seal to Itachi. "Now, if you were to copy this design and try to summon her, what do you think would happen?"

The Uchiha paused to think on the matter before answering easily, "It wouldn't work."

"If I were to show you the contract scroll and if you were to copy _that_, what would happen?"

Itachi thought over it and shook his head, "Wouldn't work."

"Precisely." Naruaki said with a pleased smile, "And why is that?"

"Because the covenant is sealed." His student said uncertainly, "It's closed. You said that there's a difference between a closed seal and an open seal." Naruaki nodded encouragingly so Itachi continued, "And summons have their own will. They must approve of the summoner."

The ANBU bowed his head respectfully to the sprite, "You may leave if you wish it."

The being bowed in return, flying over to Naruto and ruffling his hair before disappearing in a burst of wind. "Will you look at that, Naru-chan. She likes you." Naruto made a grasping motion, clearly disappointed that the enchanting sprite had vanished. "I think that's enough theory for today." He sighed, "I wish there were books on FuuinJutsu theory that I could give you but so far, I haven't managed to find _anything_ beyond elementary. Explaining everything to you by word is getting a bit tedious."

"You could always write them yourself." Itachi suggested tentatively.

Naruaki considered the idea seriously. It'd be a arduous task, definitely and might take him _years_ to complete but his knowledge _had _to be preserved in case the worst happened and he was killed. Just teaching Itachi and his father wouldn't be enough. The problem was, if he committed what he knew to paper, what was to keep such powerful knowledge from getting into the wrong hands?

He needed to discuss this with the Hokage.

"How's your hand?" Naruaki asked suddenly, a thought occurring to him.

Itachi flexed his fingers, grimacing in pain, "It's ok. Not broken or fractured." He murmured.

"Then practice hand seals."

His student started, looking at him in shock, "What? But-"

"When you're fighting, your body may not always be in peak condition." Naruaki warned, "You may have to run with an injured leg, defend with a deep wound and do hand seals despite injured arms. The problem is that hand seals need to be accurate. Conveniently, you have an injured dominant arm; use this opportunity to get a feel of what it's like to attempt jutsu with such an injury."

Itachi looked down at his hand, biting his lower lip. He knew that his teacher wouldn't really force him to comply. If he refused, Naruaki would simply let it be.

However, Naruaki was the _one_ person he never wanted to disappoint. Slowly, carefully, he started to form seals, mindful of his injury. The pain wasn't too overpowering, thankfully, but it was still pain and Itachi was rather unaccustomed to it.

His sensei watched as Itachi started out slow, wincing occasionally. Gradually, the speed increased but his movements weren't smooth and most of the times, he got the hand seals wrong.

It was nearly half-an-hour of silent practice before Naruto started fussing and Naruaki sighed, rising to his feet. He easily shifted the baby and patted his back while watching his student. Seals were coming easier to him but the grimace of pain and the tense movements told Naruaki that perhaps it was time for a break.

As if on cue, he felt the presence of Kakashi and Rin. Deciding that Itachi learned enough for the day, he interrupted the Uchiha's latest attempt with an understanding smile. "Alright, that's enough. Rest your arms for a bit or you won't be able to hold your chopsti-" he winced when his brother started wailing, "-cks during dinner. Kakashi and Rin are here, why don't you go and greet them while I try to calm this fellow down."

Itachi nodded letting his exhausted arms fall to his side limply. Naruaki winced, wondering if he had gone overboard. His student didn't complain but he swore to himself that he'd watch out in the future.

Now, however, Naruto's increasingly loud wailings where giving him a headache. He gestured Itachi to go on ahead before heading toward the kitchen. A quick check told him that the baby was probably hungry. By the time he reached the kitchen, their caretaker and cook, a kindly old lady, had a bottle ready.

"Thank you, Satou-san." He said with a shallow bow.

The lady smiled, "You're welcome, Naruaki-kun," she patted his cheek affectionately, looking up at the ridiculously tall boy with obvious fondness. "Do you know when Hokage-sama will be returning? I need to know when you want the food to be ready."

Naruaki shrugged, sighing when his suspicions were proved right. Naruto _was_ hungry. "He didn't say but it's been three hours since he left so he should be back in an hour, I think."

The old lady nodded and shooed him out of the kitchen. Naruaki simply shrugged and grabbed a small towel on his way out. Now that Naruto was content, he could take a turn about the garden before joining the others.

It was unlikely he'd have many moments of peace now that Danzo was stepping up his game. He needed to organize his mind, recall as much as he could about the past so that he wouldn't miss something important.

Suddenly, he stiffened, his chakra flaring instinctively to form a cloak around Naruto. He spun around to stare with deadly intent at the intruder in his home.

Immediately, two things registered. The Namikaze wards hadn't wavered and the chakra, though unfamiliar, wasn't aggressive.

The ANBU before him bowed, "Hokage-sama commands your presence immediately, Namikaze-sama. In uniform."

"Leave. I'll be there in a moment." He said and swiftly ran into the house. His father wouldn't have called him if it wasn't important. And damn it, his uniform was still in his father's office.

"Kakashi." He called as soon as he entered the room where all his guests were assembled. "Stay here." He handed Naruto to him. "Keep the kids safe and _don't_ venture out of the house until I or Hokage-sama return." He turned to his student, "Itachi-kun, dinner will be in an hour. You're staying over. You _will not_ step a foot out of this house without my permission, is that understood?"

Kakashi and Itachi both nodded sharply.

In a flash of yellow, Naruaki left, causing the remaining people to look at the space where he stood in surprise.

"Was that Hiraishin?" Rin asked tentatively, blinking in disbelief.

Kakashi, awkwardly adjusting his hold on the squirming bundle in his arms, shrugged. "That or a version of it." He said uncomfortably. He grasped the milk-bottle and blinked down at his sensei's son warily, possibly more afraid of the child than the child was of him.

At the strange, masked face, little Naruto's squirming increased, causing Kakashi to pale, afraid to drop him.

Rin took pity on him and easily plucked the child from his arms, soothingly rocking him and cooing at him. "Hello, Naru-chan! Look how handsome you are!" She said, carefully holding the milk-bottle to his lips. "I'm Rin-nee-chan and that was Kashi-nii-chan."

Itachi looked at Kakashi with a raised brow, "Why did you think Hokage-sama called sensei so urgently?"

Kakashi shrugged, having no reply to give him.

* * *

It took just a few moments for Naruaki to change from his casual clothes to his uniform in the Hokage's personal resting room behind the office. After putting on his arm-guards and sheathing his sword, he looked down at the lone mask left on the table.

Kurohyou.

He snorted and picked up his mask, knowing that he didn't need to wear it at the moment. Panther didn't suit him at all, especially not with his neon blonde hair that seemed to practically glow in the dark. He walked out of the room, tying his hair in a firm topknot and narrowing his eyes at the group assembled.

His father was scowling, leaning against his desk with his arms crossed.

He looked pissed.

"-red him and handed him over to you. _How_ did he manage to escape?"

"Hokage-sama, we had him in lock-up after Hatake-san dropped him off, we're just looking into another, related matter when he gave us the slip." A deeply bowing man dressed in Jounin uniform said. "Ibiki-san was set to work on him but one of our hidden ninja found he had an accomplice. That person helped him escape. Someone _not_ from this village."

Naruaki's eyes widened, his stance becoming rigid, something cold started to seep into his veins.

"Why would this spy risk his life and his operation to free a Shinobi that doesn't even belong to their village?" Minato asked, "What will he gain?"

The Jounin shook his head, "I don't know, sir. We never got a chance to question him. He resisted all our efforts despite Namikaze-sama's _softening_ of him. It's fortunate that your brother worked on him before he sent him to us. At least, we have _some_ information."

"He doesn't remember his session with me." Naruaki interrupted with a frown, "So he wasn't _soft_ when he was in your custody."

"Something about this whole situation isn't sitting well with me." Yondaime said before turning towards Sousuke, "What do you think?"

The ANBU General looked up from the file he was reading with a scowl, "Well, Naruaki-kun was proven right, wasn't he?" He said, sliding a glance at his silent apprentice. "Minato, our lack of security is really starting to bother me. If people can just waltz into our village and leave without us even noticing… I-"

"This is a village, not a fortress." A smooth voice chided gently and Naruaki tilted his head a little to look at the kunoichi who had just entered the room.

Ah. Yuuhi Sayaka. Kurenai-san's elder sister. He had never known her in his past lifetime but currently, he knew she was a well respected Jounin.

"Sayaka-chan." Minato greeted with a slight smile.

'_And apparently, the two of them are friends._' Naruaki thought as he observed them. It's odd that he never encountered any of his father's friends in his past life. Sousuke-san, he understood was dead by the time he became a Genin, but his father had so many, close and intimate friends and _none_ of them had attempted to even speak with him.

Did they resent him in some way or did Sandaime keep them away? Tsunade had once admitted to him that the connection between Yondaime and him was already so obvious that Sandaime had been forced to keep some of the more intimate friends of his father away from him to avoid suspicion. The more intelligent members of Konoha had already guessed that Naruto was Yondaime's son.

"We'll damage civilian trade if we lock up our village too tightly, Sousuke-kun." She said, drawing Naruaki away from his thoughts. "We already do a thorough check of strangers that come to this village. It'd be impossible to do anything more."

Sousuke spread his hands in a helpless gesture, "What do you recommend we do then?" He asked.

"Have you spoken to Shikaku-san?" She asked. "Maybe he has a solution."

"Perhaps," Minato said, "But for now, I've sent Inuzuka's squad after the escapee. Naruaki, I need you to confer with Ibiki-san and see what you can find out between yourselves. If the Inuzuka squad returns empty handed, I'll send you out."

"I can't say I'm as good at tracking as an Inuzuka." Naruaki said, "Besides, if you intended to send me, why not do it in the first place?"

"Right now neither Minato nor I think it's wise for you to leave the village." Sousuke answered instead of his father. "With what Minato tells me," he glanced at the Hokage and him meaningfully and Naruaki understood. "I think it's best to keep you safe for the time being. We'll only send you out if it's absolutely necessary."

It seems his father told only Sousuke-san the details of the suspect's interrogation.

The Hokage turned towards the assembled people. "Shironome-san, bring Ibika-san and your informant here. Organize everything you know and bring it here. Naruaki will be with me." He told the Jounin before looking at his eldest, "Naru-chan is safe?"

"Kakashi, Rin-san and Itachi-kun are there. The Ward Seals are at full power. They should be able to manage for the night." Naruaki replied instantly.

"Genma-kun." He glanced at a shadow behind his desk.

The shinobi belonging to the Hokage's guard stepped forward, bowed and then disappeared. Shironome left soon after, followed by his subordinates.

With only Sousuke-san, Yuuhi-san and his father in the room with his, Naruaki relaxed his stiff stance.

And apparently, a little _too_ soon.

"My, my Min-kun." Sayaka-san practically purred and suddenly, his father's face looked very mischievous. "Your family does us women-folk a great injustice."

Sousuke coughed, turning his head away while Naruaki looked on with innocent bewilderment.

"What do you mean?" Yondaime asked casually. "What's wrong with my family?"

Sayaka walked gracefully towards Naruaki and the formidable ANBU felt a keen urge to back away. "You broke hundreds of heart when you married Kushina-chan," she said and Naruaki shivered as she trailed a finger down his bare arm, his eyes wide. "And you two produced an heir so cute and adorable, it's completely unfair!"

Minato snorted, sporting a wide grin as he watched as son step back from the petit woman. Sousuke green eyes were glowing in amusement at the trapped look his best friend's son was sporting.

"And now, out of nowhere, you bring forth this _fine _specimen." She smiled predatorily. "Look how _beautiful_ he is. The Namikaze genes are so fabulous. Really Min-kun, I'd say, you're completely defeated by your charming little brother. I just want to _eat. him. up._"

Sousuke choked on laughter at the priceless look on Naruaki's face but Minato had no such restraint. His guffaws filled the entire room.

Sayaka smiled in the smug triumph of a beautiful woman who had just conquered another man and rendered him speechless.

Just as she was about to step back and apologize for teasing the poor boy, a flash of deep, seductive blue froze her. Her delicate wrist was suddenly in a firm, unyielding grasp as a powerful arm wrapped about her waist, pulling her close to a hard, thoroughly masculine body.

"Who'll devour _whom_, Sa-ya-ka-chan?" Naruaki rumbled against her ear, making her flush, her heart skipping a beat. "A beautiful woman like you… a _fine_ body like this," he pushed her roughly against him, making her gasp as he rasped huskily, "tests a man's resolve. You really should be careful."

Minato and Sousuke gaped at the young man before them, their eyes wide.

He drew away just a touch, his piercing blue eyes keeping her captive, "If you're offering so generously, who am I to deny?" he dipped his head, nuzzling her cheek as he breathed against her sensitive skin, "I'll just _eat. you. up._" Heat rushed to her veins and she whimpered as her knees buckled.

Naruaki chuckled huskily and stepped back but kept his arm loosely around her, lest her legs fail her. A sly smirk crossed his lips as he raised his other hand and showed his fingers that were glowing with chakra. He licked his lips, his expression distinctly predatory, "You really shouldn't try to tempt someone who don't know. They might just _retaliate._"

"You slick bastard." Sousuke murmured in complete awe while Sayaka blushed but smiled in amusement. "_What_ was the chakra technique you pulled just now?"

A loud thump interrupted their conversation, drawing all attention. They turned to look at the Hokage and stilled when they saw his hitting the desk with his head. "My innocent little Naruaki-kun," he murmured mournfully, "He's surely corrupted by my vile sensei. My cute, adorable little Aki-chan- why! Why!"

A dry look settled on Naruaki's elegant features, "Aren't you overreacting a bit there?" He asked drolly, "What kind of ninja would I be if I can't resist a seduction?"

Sayaka covered her mouth and giggled, patting Naruaki's arm, "I'm sorry Naruaki-kun, I pulled the same stunt on Min-kun when I first met him. I thought you'd react just as cutely as he did." She laughed when Minato banged his head against the desk once again, "But it turns out that Naruaki-kun is very suave."

"Sayaka-chan!" Minato complained, "Don't corrupt him!"

"I think it's already too late for that." Sousuke said dryly.

Before Naruaki could comment on that, an ANBU suddenly appeared and handed Minato a scroll. All humor left the Hokage's face as he read the scroll, his mouth settling into a grim line and his eyes narrowing sharply. "Naruaki," he said finally, "We'll have to send you out after all. Gather your team. That spy had reinforcements and the Inuzuka squad needs help."

Naruaki straightened and put on his mask, bowing sharply to his father, "Yes, Hokage-sama."

Just as he was about to leave, Minato interrupted him. "You know they're after you as well." He said quietly, "Be careful. Do your best and come home."

He glanced at his father from over his shoulder and smiled behind his mask. "Of course, I will."


End file.
